


Love Squared

by Baroli



Category: Star Trek
Genre: Crossover with the time/space continuum., F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-10-13 01:18:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 39
Words: 66,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10503435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baroli/pseuds/Baroli
Summary: This is a story that Maggie wanted me to tell.  She had some free time and some shore leave coming to her, so she's spending some time here.  This is going to be a longish story, so bear with me and Maggie.  Please have a good time reading, critique responsibly,...I will for you.LLAP





	1. Windup and Pitch

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story that Maggie wanted me to tell. She had some free time and some shore leave coming to her, so she's spending some time here. This is going to be a longish story, so bear with me and Maggie. Please have a good time reading, critique responsibly,...I will for you. 
> 
>  
> 
> LLAP

She was sitting in her townhouse overlooking the Bay and the Academy campus, soaking up the sights and sounds of the late afternoon. Her balcony door was open as there was a warm breeze blowing softly into her living-room. Prof. Maggie Stuart, head of ancient earth history and a fellow in the archeology department of the Academy, sat on her chaise in her livingroom finishing up her notes on her PADD from her latest dig on Rigel VI. She and her party of college archeologists dug and found some pretty impressive artifacts that were cleaned up, documented and then turned over to the Rigelian Gov’t. to be put into their museums, with the hope that some of their lost culture might be rediscovered and appreciated. These are the types of trips she absolutely loved. But,...she needed a break this summer; she didn’t have anything planned. She needed a pause,....thinking maybe a change in assignment. Stopping what she was doing, Maggie let herself daydream back to a time,...when she was a student and caught the eye of a certain young medical officer just before he shipped off to his residency in the “outer limits” of space. He had great promise she was told or rather she overheard someone say at a Federation reception she was playing piano at for their entertainment. 

 

Leonard McCoy had the deepest, most gorgeous blue eyes she’d ever looked into. Nice looks and a soft southern accent from Georgia that would make butter melt,...or at least it did to her. He was witty, charming with the ladies and had another friend with him, Jim Kirk. Oh,...she knew about him too. Serious in the books and as her girlfriend said, serious in between the sheets as well. She chuckled about that. Just about every girl on her dorm hall wanted to date either Jim Kirk or the Doctor and she found them both quite by accident. During one of her “breaks” from playing she literally ran into the young doctor as he was getting a drink at the open bar, and some of his bourbon splashed on his face, which she promptly grabbed him and kissed, sucked and licked off his face and while licking her lips asked him “was it good for you,” gave him her comm number and dashed back to the piano to play a series of ragtime and “boogie-woogie” until the people throwing the party asked her to take a more extensive break,...which she did and sought out the doctor. Her mind quickly came back to reality when she heard the buzz of her comm link sound. Thinking *who the hell is bothering me today,* she accessed the communication and found it to be from her friend Leonard.

“Hello, Blue Eyes and what brings you to my neck of the woods,” she said warmly. 

 

Dr. McCoy hadn’t changed much in his years in space. Oh granted, he was a little crankier, a little grayer and well within his rights to be. He served aboard the Enterprise and had been through more hell than the average medical surgeon and officer would find in a hospital setting during an interplanetary war. But this is Maggie’s close, personal not to mention fun-loving and fellow bar-crawling buddy from her days at the Academy, and although the “bar-crawling” was years ago,...now he would always call her when in port to,... as he would say “touch base” and catch up.

“Maggie, you look as beautiful as you did that day at the Federation Party you played at.” McCoy was always the gentleman in his compliments.

“You mean the one where I licked your drink off your face that I spilled on you?”

“That same one, darlin’. I’ve got a question for you,....doin’ anything later this evening,” he asked with his soft southern drawl in full swing. 

“You’re back in town Leonard? How delightful. Come to my place,” she said with a grin.  
“Well, how ‘bout I pick you up there and we go have a drink and dinner at a place I know downtown. We’ll meet up with Jim Kirk and Spock. Is that alright with you?”

“Of course, Leonard but,...why do I get the feeling this isn’t your usual bar crawling “stopped by to touch base with you” visit.” 

McCoy paused for a minute, narrowed his eyes and then smiled at her. He always thought she was a bright, beautiful woman. 

“I’ll pick you up at 8:00. Oh and be casual, no uniforms, we’re on leave, the Enterprise is getting a tune-up and something called a holodeck.”

“Ohhh Leonard. You’re moving into the future now. A holodeck! We have one here at the Academy Command School. Lot’s of fun. I’ll see you at 8:00 and,... how casual do you want me?” A twinkle in her eyes matched the sparkle in his. He smiled his best seductive smile and said very softly ‘you don’t wanna know.’ 

She replied ‘that would mean naked,...I’m not doing naked in downtown San Fran.’  
“Maggie,... you have no sense of adventure,” he chuckled.  
They both broke into laughter and then said their good-byes. Maggie sat there and laughed to herself and then thought, *Hmmm, Jim Kirk and his first officer too*, but shrugged her shoulders in indifference. Then her comm link buzzed again. “NOW WHAT,” she said aloud. Switching her computer back to the comm link, she was surprised to see Admiral McNeil, Superintendent of the Academy staring back at her with his usual “Howdy Doody” smile, taking the description from a 20th century  
television show. 

“Admiral, what a pleasant surprise, but honestly I’m not doing a summertime mentoring program. I’m taking the summer off, perhaps go to Arizona or back to the east coast.” 

“Maggie, they’d better be short trips. I have something else for you that you can’t say “No” to.” 

“I can’t say “No” to? Bob, you know me better than that. I’ll say whatever I damn well please.” 

“Not this time, Maggie. You remember that little incident with the cheating on the finals last year?” How well she did. She caught a senior cadet cheating on his final and had him summarily dismissed from the Academy. Unfortunately, the cadet turned out to be a son of a well greased politician and senator of the Federation Council. She was surprised to hear about this again,...and got a foreboding of something about to happen and it wasn’t going to be so good.

“I remember Bob,....what did “Daddy decide to push back at the Academy?”

“Daddy not only pushed back, he wants your head on a silver platter.” She laughed and said ‘who doesn’t.’ 

“He initially wanted his son reinstated, which isn’t going to happen and he wanted you fired, which also isn’t going to happen.”

“Well, then,... I don’t see the problem?”

“No problem, Maggie. You’re being transferred to the Enterprise.” She stared at the screen, opened and shut her mouth swallowed hard and said “What? Bob, I worked my tail off to get tenure and then become the head of the Department. You can’t do this!”  
“I can and I have. As of 0800 this morning, you became just Dr. Marguerite Stuart. On 3210.3, you will be Commander Marguerite Stuart, Chief Historian and Archeologist, part of the senior staff on the Enterprise. Kirk has no one to head up this dept. Hasn’t had someone in a long time. I’m sorry,... but this was done to save you as well, Maggie. The senator wanted your head, he wanted your career, I wasn’t gonna let him have either. You’ll stay on the Enterprise until I tell you to come home. It’s got to be done this way.” 

Maggie sighed and blinked slowly. She was used to being censured for some damn thing or other,...but to be punished for doing and standing up for the “values of Starfleet,”...all to satisfy a political grievance. Some idiot of a senator who thinks he can rule Starfleet from the halls of the Federation Council. It’s times like this she would chuck it all and go into the private sector,...

“You know Bob, I can get practically the same position in the private sector, I can go to any University on earth and interplanetary and,..  
.”  
“No, you can’t. Because if you did, you would lose the protection of Starfleet.

“I DON’T WANT TO LOSE MY TENURE!!” yelled Maggie at the screen.

“Who said anything about losing tenure? That won’t happen. BUT! You and I are the only people who know how you found out he was cheating. That can’t come out. There are still people in this century who have extreme prejudice concerning “special gifts,” the senator being one of those closed minded people. You’re not even like Captain Spock, he was born half and half,....you’re….”

“ A Mutant! I know!”

“Please Maggie, go along with this. You know they think the world of you on that ship”. 

“That’s because I was at the Academy with their Captain and CMO.”

“Maggie, you’ll be treated right. No more arguments,now. McNeil out.”

*Yeah,...*she thought to herself, *Let’s get the scary mutant out of the way.*  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	2. The Hit

On the Enterprise, the staff was powering down, preparing for leave as maintenance crews were coming onboard to “tune up” the Enterprise they said. Starfleet estimated about 4 weeks time until they could go out and see what’s happening in space. Spock was making last minute adjustments to his sensors when he noticed an incoming message for the Captain and piped it through to his friend’s cabin. He promptly got up and headed into the lift to go to his own cabin,...by way of the Captains. 

McCoy was already there waiting patiently while the Captain got finished talking to Admiral McNeil. 

“I understand Admiral, you want me to take Maggie Stuart on the Enterprise, she’s to have the position of Chief Archeologist and Historian until further notice. I’m sorry Admiral, but since when did Maggie express the desire to go spaceboard?”

“Captain, there’s a situation brewing here that requires immediate action,...that is the censure and dismissal of Dr. Stuart. Now I’m not going to go into it over the air,....just let me say that the Admiralty and the Academy felt this was the best way to handle it. We don’t want to lose her. She stays there until I tell you otherwise. Perhaps she’ll tell you the details, I can’t right now. Do I make myself clear? McNeil out.” 

Kirk shut his comm down for the moment and then turned to his friend, thinking Maggie really screwed up big this time. 

“Bones, what the hell did she do?” Kirk looked at his friend with worry on his face. 

“Jim, I don’t know. What I will tell you is I was just on the comm with her  
and invited to go out with us for drinks and dinner. She was fine. Maybe she got wind of this news right after I got off the horn with her.” 

At that moment, the Captain’s comm chimed and said incoming message from Prof. Maggie Stuart. Jim looked at Bones and silently said “ Well,...let’s find out.” By this time, Captain Spock was at the doorway of Kirk’s cabin and lazily leaned up against the side.

“Maggie, still using proper comm channels? How,...kind of you,” chuckled Jim. 

“Jim,...I need a favor from you,.... you have to be completely honest with me. Have you been in touch with Bob McNeil? I’ve received some interesting orders concerning transferring.” 

“Yes, Maggie I’ve heard and the orders aren’t so unusual. Seems like you’re coming aboard my ship to serve.” Judging by the look Maggie gave him on the screen, she wasn’t too thrilled, but more or less resigned to her fate. “May I ask why?”

“Jim I don’t want to talk about this over a comm link. I’m asking if you, Leonard and your first officer would come to my place for dinner instead of going out on the town.. I need to talk with you and to tell you why this transfer is in the offing. Besides, there’s plenty of time to go hopping around San Francisco.”

“Sure Maggie we can do that. We’ll be up around 8:00,....oh and I’ll take care of the food.”

“Fine. I’ve got the beverage. If you want something special, you’ll need to get it or use the food replicator. I’ll see you all at 8:00.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Pacing her floor with a drink in her hand, Maggie anxiously awaited her guests. How to tell your close friends that you’re getting more than a hand slap, this is a full on faceslap, but she knew Kirk needed the facts. He needed to understand that she did what any teacher or professor would do. At the last minute, she decided to change into something more casual and opted for a pair of jeans and a sweater and right on time; at 8:00, the doorbell buzzed and the door swished open. First came Leonard who walked in, dropped off his package and then took Maggie into his arms and kissed her soundly on her mouth. Then came Jim who waved hello and had a couple of bags loaded with Chinese food. Spock brought up the rear, raised an eyebrow at the Doctor kissing the Professor thoroughly. He thought to himself how illogical to be witness of what McCoy would often refer to as “swapping spit.” 

“Maggie,” whispered McCoy into her ear, embracing her warmly. She pulled back and whispered to him “Hey, Leonard.” She started to cry, releasing some pent up frustration and McCoy’s embrace became more of a protective nature, his hand coming up to her head and then slowly going down her back, while whispering “It’s okay, Maggie.” She continued to cry and then slowly got control of herself.  
“I can’t believe I’m whispering sweet nothings in your ear, to get you to calm down.” She started to laugh through the sobs. Looking at him still holding on to his arms she said “I can’t believe you kissed me like that.” 

She broke away from the Doctor, promptly walked over and hugged Jim and then while hugging formed a Vulcan Ta’al with a soft smile to Spock, who promptly lifted an eyebrow. 

“Captain Spock, when we become really good friends, then I’ll give you a hug, even though Vulcans don’t like touching, but right now,...long life to you.” 

“And to you Doctor Stuart,” replied Spock and quite illogically he had a random thought of preferring, the kiss she gave McCoy. Maggie looked up, stared at Spock and said “Really? I’ll file that information and collect at a later date.” Her face looked down while she smiled leaving Spock to open his mouth and then shut it pondering what the prof. just said, with a thin trace of a smile forming on his lips. How strange that he would find her knowledge of what he was thinking gratifying,...but,...

“Doctor, are you a telepath,” he asked. 

She paused to consider how to answer his question. If you tell a person yes, they back away from you in horror, practically pointing fingers at you and calling you “WITCH!” Even in the 23rd century there are still those that have their “prejudices.” But a Vulcan, a known telepathic race asked the question and she would answer him, but she had a deeper secret that she kept. 

“The answer is yes, full on telepath.” She then looked at an even more surprised McCoy.

“Maggie, you went into Spock’s head? You said you would never do that.”

“And you would be right my dear Doctor, I don’t,...ever,...not without permission,...most of the time. However, one cannot help random thoughts and Mr. Spock had a whopper of a random thought. So I told him what I would do with it and that as they say, is that.” 

“That’s also what got you into trouble isn’t it,” said Kirk with a knowing look and a leap of intuition. McCoy and Kirk were in a small circle of people who knew of Maggie’s gift and swore to her to keep it a secret; that included her parents and oddly enough, some from Vulcan. But when you’re at school with no close friends except the two guys that protected her from every potential “situation” in their academy careers, she decided to take them into her confidence as well and now she would add this rather nice looking Vulcan with the random thoughts to that small circle of “secret keepers.”

“Ahhhh, indirectly,...yeah. I can’t lie. Grab some food and something to drink and I’ll tell you the story,” offered Maggie as she pointed towards the dining room table and where the food was. They all grabbed plates and served themselves various selections of food, sat the plates down and then got glasses filled with their choice of beverage. Maggie noticed that the two men dug right in with forks, but Spock sat there, looking for something else. Thinking to herself, I bet he’s looking for chopsticks. She opened her kitchen drawer that held a dozen or so pairs. She tossed him a pair, that were wrapped in cellophane. She thought * sanitized for your protection.* To her, it always felt better to have food with the sticks and found herself eating all sorts dishes other than Chinese with them. Spock nodded his head to her. Kirk and McCoy looked at each other after noticing the conversation going on with Spock and Maggie. McCoy mumbled something about everyone should be a part of the conversation, to which Maggie humbly begged forgiveness while laughing in her mind and mentioning something about Leonard being jealous not having the gift of telepathy, at which point Spock just cocked his head and studied her while he ate. 

“First off,...”she started as she wiped her mouth,the Vulcans discovered “this,” she pointed to her head, while at the Gol digs about 25 years ago. I’ve known since I was a child. The high priestess there was searching for the random thoughts that were leaking out and found they were coming out of my head. She grabbed me and mind melded with me, let me tell you that was a unique experience and then went absolutely off the deep end, siting that no human has telepathy. *They’ve gotta get out of those caves more often* Spock started to cough at the thought of high priestesses leaving the caves to “socialize. “They did a DNA profile on me,...and found I am 100% Terran. I am an enigma to the Vulcans and therefore respected, but one thing they did offer which I took them up on was formal training. I agreed with them that an untrained telepathic mind is worse than one that is trained. *Now that you’re caught up, Spock,..,* she left his mind with laughter. Spock looked up from his food and stared at Maggie as she ate and laughed. His eyes narrowed and an almost smile started to form, when he noticed Jim looking at him. He once again assumed his neutral mask.

“So,” she continued as she took a bite out of her egg roll and wiped her mouth again. “Let’s jump to the Academy. Here I am, teaching and I realize,...some of these cadets are cheating on their final exams. So I take the usual necessary precautions and took care of most of the problems. Last year, there was this senior cadet,...a Mr. Wainwright. He was on track for command school, which as soon as we pull out of spacedock, I guarantee he’ll be back and in school, take his exam and move on to command school. Can anybody tell me why??” 

Maggie pulled her teacher face and then raised her hands because she had the answer, but Spock beat her to it. 

“He is the eldest son of Senator Harmon Wainwright of the Federation Council, a senator, who may be a dangerous enemy to you and your career with Starfleet, which is why you find yourself transferred to the Enterprise.”

“Ding, ding, ding! Congratulations Captain Spock, you get the gold star for your answer.” Spock thought to himself * ding,... ding,... ding? This woman speaks in a most peculiar manner.*


	4. Grounded out at first.

Chapter 4

“Still want me on your boat, Captain?” Jim Kirk chuckled with the nautical reference. But before he could give an answer,...

“May I interject Doctor Stuart,”said Spock. She nodded her head for him to continue. 

“It would be illogical to leave the protection of Starfleet to go and seek employment in the private sector. You would be at the mercy of the Senator, who is notorious for seeking revenge on those he feels has wronged him and/or his own. Therefore, the logical choice is to accept the transfer to the Enterprise. I realize that teaching young minds is your advocation, but there may be ways to offset this with your work in Archeology, possibly combining with Geology and therefore being a part of the majority of landing parties when we are charting new planets,...perhaps using diplomatic skills that all professors possess when dealing with parents from planets you have been in contact with would be beneficial.” 

Kirk and McCoy looked at Spock and then themselves. Kirk raised his eyebrows and then swallowed. Meanwhile, Maggie had her hand covering her mouth and her foot tucked under sitting. Her eyes had a mischievous glint as she listened to Spock make his case for her to accept the transfer and wondered where he got the notion of herself possibly leaving Starfleet for a private university. Spock looked at them all and very calmly announced “Random thoughts go both ways, Dr. Stuart,” he remarked dryly as he cocked his head in acknowledgement and arched an eyebrow.

“Thank you Captain Spock for your logical and astute opinion,...but I’ve already made my choice and I will be joining you on the Enterprise. Although, I did like you mentioning using diplomatic skills with parents,...it’s so true. And speaking of diplomats,...”

McCoy again looked sideways at Kirk, who was sitting there dumbfounded. Did she just take him down a peg without him batting an eye or she raising her voice, ...or did she compliment him? Spock in the meantime studied the professor narrowing his eyes again,...much like his father does when he is studying the person before him. Although illogical at times, he thought he might be able to cultivate a friendship with this woman,...time will tell. He would need more information about this Maggie Stuart. 

“I have an appointment with a very high ranking diplomat to show he and his wife this townhouse.” Spock became very attentive at this piece of information. His parents had invited him to come along to a house showing. 

“Yes, it’s the Vulcan Ambassador and his wife.”

“Uhh, Maggie. Why show your home to the Vulcan Ambassador,” asked Jim. Maggie put her napkin down, got up to pour herself some Altarin water, which she offered to refill Spock’s glass. She poured McCoy some bourbon and got Jim another beer. After refreshing everyone’s drink, Maggie sat down and rearranged herself so that one leg was underneath her as she sat. 

“Senator Wainwright has begun to systematically try and take what I have away from me. Now he can’t take my degrees or the titles that go with them. He thinks he’s gotten me banished from teaching at the Academy. Well,...perhaps for the moment he has, but that’s neither here nor there. My reputation is spotless and it precedes me wherever I go. For the time being, he can’t touch that either, but I have heard as recently as today, just before you came up,...a friend of mine,...remember Martine Donnelly, Leonard? 

McCoy leaned back slightly on his chair and thought a moment.

“Martine,....you mean Marty Donnelly,...uh didn’t she wash out of the Academy?”  
Rolling her eyes and giving McCoy a smirk, she answered that she left Starfleet period.

“She went into her family’s business of real estate. Sold me this place, complete with the land and footprint along with the building. I own it outright. She told me that an anonymous buyer was nosing around and was particularly interested in buying this house along with everything I just mentioned. He was offering a fair price and a nice bonus for her if she gets the deal done. She said that this place was going to come on the market very soon. I told her I’m not interested in selling, to which she was royally pissed off at this person for even suggesting such a thing. Then she did some digging. Ms. Donnelly heard through the Academy grapevine I had been fired and wanted to verify any rumors going around and about. I had to straighten out the firing thing with her.” Maggie took a sip of water as the men listened to her. 

“She thinks the “anonymous buyer” is trying to buy my home out from under me and that some unscrupulous realtor would try to do just that if properly motivated by “bonuses.” Real estate laws have gotten lax recently, favoring buyers with credits. Marty advised me to do an endrun around “Mr. Anonymous involving either leasing or selling the property to an embassy. She said don’t sell or lease to our Embassy, as all of this becomes the land, footprint and building of the planet. So, I picked the embassy who I’ve had dealings with in the past,... favorable dealings,... the Vulcans. I’m expecting the Ambassador and his party tomorrow in the AM, so y’all are going to have to excuse me, because I need to clean up and get this place nice and pretty for tomorrow. That means you gotta leave.” 

Kirk looked at his chronograph and realized that “time flew by.” Getting up from his chair, he pushed it into the table and promptly took his plate to the sink and dumped whatever food was left down the trash compactor, as did the others. 

“Jim, let me get this piece of business transacted, then I will see what I need on your ship, then pack and “all aboard the good ship Enterprise. That shouldn’t take very long at all, as I plan to leave the furniture behind, but I will be taking my textbooks and library, not to mention that baby grand over there. I realize my quarters won’t be like this, but I’m hoping for a nice lab to put my archeological stuff around. Hmmm, I may leave the baby grand here.”

“Why would you do that, Doctor Stuart. We have a concert hall on the Enterprise without a piano. We could transport it there and you could use it as you so desired.” Well now, Spock had a good idea, thought McCoy.  
“Then Maggie, we could have a taste of that fine musical talent of yours,” said McCoy as he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. 

“Oh honey,” said Maggie as she extricated herself from his arm and walked to the front door to usher them out, “judging by that embrace of yours, you want the whole meal and dessert.”

“No,...just a taste.” McCoy quickly kissed her on the cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know I've taken liberties with things like concert halls and holodecks. The truth of the matter is that although the Enterprise A is a tad more modern than NC 1701, even that ship had a theater and various places where people could congregate to listen to or play music. In the animated series (which a lot of people don't count, but I do), it had a holodeck, although I don't believe it was called that. This is not a super big deal for me, but for some who read, I have committed a grievous sin. To those fine folks, I seek forgiveness. But for the time being, Enterprise A has a holodeck, and a concert hall, not to mention smaller places where people can congregate, play and listen to music.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Dr. Stuart was sitting in her chair looking over the list of research books and materials she wanted to take with her when she made her move to the Enterprise. These were “musts” that needed to come with her. She would also have to see what was already there, besides having access to the computer logs and what, if any other information she might have to input into the ancient history and archaeology. She already put in a call back to Admiral McNeil asking for permission to clear out her office of her materials to which he gave her the go ahead. 

She also received a comm from the Ambassador of Vulcan stating that he, his wife and son would be arriving shortly. So donning a nice pair of slacks and a pearl blue silk blouse, her flat shoes and her silver hair let down to shoulder length. The door chime sounded and she saw that it was indeed the Vulcan Ambassador and party waiting for the door to open. Putting on her best business face, she opened the door and after exchanging Vulcan greetings with the customary sayings and Ta’al, Ambassador Sarek, the Lady Amanda and Captain Spock entered. As Spock entered she spoke from her mind *hello again Captain Spock. Are you well?* To which he replied *I am very well, Doctor. Are you enjoying your telepathy?* He gave her an amused look with a raised eyebrow. 

Maggie caught a little off guard with question replied with “Always,” as an answer. Sarek and his wife looked at the Doctor, who once again assumed her business look.

“I see you are practicing telepathy with Spock, Doctor Stuart. Very commendable. My wife,...attend.” 

Amanda came up and extended her two fingers to Sarek’s while looking around the home,...and at her son watching the Doctor. She watched as she saw him talking to her telepathically while she answered,...as if they were a bonded couple. She was thinking how strange he looked, as if,...he was teasing her. Amanda smiled to herself,...*he likes her, K`diwa.* Sarek raised his eyebrow and nodded his head in the affirmative, preferring to concentrate on the tour the Doctor was giving him. 

Spock did indeed like her. He wanted to find out more about her and while on the Enterprise looked her up to see what her career entailed and was impressed by her accomplishments, read her papers and her doctoral thesis for ancient history and archaeology. But what is she like, he wondered. Why did he care? She obviously is a competent educator, but his mind kept wandering back to her kissing Dr. McCoy. It was the first time he felt,...what,... jealousy, longing? It is Illogical. He hung back to continue to watch the Doctor show his parents around. A fruitless use of time as he knew Sarek already decided to procure the townhouse for the Vulcan Embassy as a guest house, but mainly to be used by he and his wife. Spock’s mother detested living at the Embassy, siting it’s sterile feeling and lack of what she called a “homey atmosphere.” By having this place, she could feel at home, prepare meals for Sarek, if they needed to entertain a small party, they could with a beautiful view of the bay.

Sarek motioned to Maggie to speak with her privately so they could firm up an offer, which he did and it was accepted by her and her real estate agent, who Maggie sent the information and offer to her. She replied back she would send the Ambassador the necessary contracts for him to sign as well as Maggie. Having made an acceptable offer, Sarek thanked Maggie for the tour and then said they must be off as he had another appointment. As she showed them to the door, she began to hum “Ain’t Misbehaving” just loud enough for Spock to hear the last part of the song. Spock stopped and turned to her and said “Indeed.” She smiled and said “just some more random thoughts,” but she was still misbehavin' and Spock knew it. Maggie thought: For a Vulcan, Spock certainly has a sense of humor. It has been said however, he has no feelings at all, although Leonard told me about trying to mind meld with a,...what sentient machine??? How he changed. Talk about being illogical,...a machine? Meanwhile, Spock walking with his parents with his hands behind his back, looked over at his father who said something to him via their familial bond and nodded in agreement to his father. 

“Will you be coming aboard the Enterprise today, Doctor?” All the while this conversation is going on, Amanda is watching with great interest.

“Oh no, today is clean out my office at the Academy day. I understand the new Prof. is eager to take over and I want him to have a clean slate, so to speak. He’ll have to make a reputation from scratch, like I did. I need to recover my notes, what reference books that are mine, and some artifacts that were presented to me from various governments of various planets. I’ll box them up and take them back here, where I need do the same thing. But I do need to see what is aboard the Enterprise and sort accordingly. Would you like to assist me?”

“I would be ha,...that would be acceptable, Doctor.” Maggie looked at him with a questioning look and then realized his mother was watching them with interest.

“Very well, stay here and we’ll walk over. One of the main reasons I bought this place is its proximity to everything important for me,...as it will be for you Ambassador.”

“Indeed Doctor. We will leave you now.” 

Amanda and Sarek left the home and walked to their hover car. As he opened the side door so his wife could get into the seat, Amanda looked at Sarek and mentioned to him through their bond that she felt sure that Spock has interest in this very charming and animated professor. Sarek sighed and looked at his wife with his eyes narrowed and a facsimile of a smile reserved only for her and replied that Spock must take his time and choose his own bondmate. 

“But Sarek, she is perfect for him. She’s bright, very witty, she teases him and he returns the tease. It wasn’t like that with Dr. Chapel. She was nice and you and I thought it would be a good match, but it wasn’t. She couldn’t get used to the Vulcan way of doing things.”

“Amanda,...”he said pausing to get her into the car, shut the door and go to the driver’s side. “Our son is past the age of having bondmates chosen for him, he must accomplish that task on his own. I agree with you this woman is much more suited for him as a bondmate, as I also detect and sense an empathic bond being formed. She is telepathic as well,...but we must let Spock make his own choice and of his own timing.” He paused for a moment, and then let her know that Spock spoke to him favorably about the professor, but wanted to be absolutely sure he would not be disappointed yet again. He had told Spock he agreed, but life can be sometimes disappointing, he must take his time, to which Spock nodded in agreement.

Amanda was going to argue the point of pushing Spock towards this woman when Sarek also countered through the bond that Spock is a stubborn man and may still have feelings towards Miss Chapel. If he is interested in Miss Stuart then time will be his best healer, but he did reassure his wife,....Miss Stuart would be an excellent choice for their son.

After the Ambassador and his wife left, Maggie and Captain Spock walked over to the campus where her department was housed. The great hall where she did most of her lecturing and had an office in was very quiet,....a sure sign that summer recess was in full swing. Oh, there were some cadets there, some were making up classes or trying for extra credit. Those that knew the Professor greeted her with their usual effervescence; Maggie was never one to salute or “pull rank” as others did, unless it was absolutely necessary. She and Spock went up the Grand Stairway and walked over to her office. She noticed her name plaque was removed from the door,...as a matter of fact,...her things were neatly packed away in boxes and loaded on a hand dolly to be transferred to Maggie’s home. Maggie sighed and promptly started to open the boxes up to see what was in them. 

“I don’t trust them,” she remarked. These sons-of-bitches can’t wait to see me leave and they packed my stuff up. Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry.” 

Spock had no idea what she was saying,...”I beg your pardon?” 

“It’s like they’re saying don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out.” Spock with a confused look and eyebrows knitted downward, shook his head not believing what he just heard. She was making as much sense as the Doctor on one of his tirades.

“Why would I let a door hit my ass on the way out? The door is open.” She paused at what she was doing and started to chuckle.

“Not up on your idioms are you, Spock.” She continued to laugh. “That saying means leave we don’t want you here, and if we can do anything to expedite the matter, we will.” 

Spock was about to debate the subject, but noticed two cadets that were standing in the doorway. When they saw Spock, they immediately snapped to attention. Spock became ramrod straight in his appearance and said “At ease, cadets.” Maggie turned around and was about to state her usual “don’t salute, I work for a living,” but heard Spock say at ease, she let him be. 

“William, Terry, it’s good to see you both. This is Captain Spock of the Enterprise. He’s here with me to help clean out my office, but I find things already packed up.” William and Terry were her two aides and proctors who will be graduating next year and one of the very few undergrads who went with Dr. Stuart on her summer interplanetary digs. 

“Professor,” said William, “we packed everything up for you. When we heard what happened to you; well, we decided to pack your stuff before the new guy got here and laid claim to everything for his own.”

“Yeah,” said Terry who was just thrilled to be in the same room with the Vulcan, “we broke in like you showed us.” Spock slowly turned his head and raised an eyebrow, “you showed them how to break in? You condoned a criminal act?” Maggie shut her eyes and opened them again, shaking her head in the negative.

“And how did I show you Terry? William?”

“Well, we got Freddy the custodian to come and open the door for us,” said William. “We didn’t actually break in,.....we wouldn’t do that. Jeez Terry. Watch how you say things.” Spock couldn’t believe these two worked for the professor. 

*These are your aides, Dr. Stuart.” Maggie looked at him with a grim face and then replied to him through telepathy that they were fine cadets,....Terry tends to not to have a filter as she has just shown,....but she’s a good kid.

“We got all your notes, all of your books, we even wrapped your artifacts with bubble-wrap so they won’t break.” 

“Well I do appreciate all your efforts, honestly I do. Thank you for taking care of me, and for taking care of me for the past 4 years. I know you’ll do well and I know you will adapt to new teachers and situations.” Maggie went to each cadet and shook their hands while Spock pulled out his communicator and had the Enterprise transporter take the Professor’s boxes and transport them to the Archaeology Lab aboard the ship. The office became very barren and big as there was nothing there to clutter it up. Maggie quickly took a look in the desk drawers and saw they were emptied as well. Seeing that there was nothing left for she or Spock to do, she called for the lights to dim and for the door to close and lock. She gave the keys to her two former aides and as they were about to leave and go back down the stairs, she noticed that a large gathering of cadets were at the bottom of the stairs, along with Admiral McNeil to greet her, to salute her and wish her well. Maggie stopped and stared out at all the faces looking up at her. They had all been given a flute of champagne. For once in her life she was speechless. She turned around to see her aides, but instead found them scampering down the other side of the stairway and in their place stood Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy with Spock. Confused at seeing her Captain and friends, she turned and looked back down at the cadets, who started to applaud. One by one they started a slow applause, which built up to a fevered pitch and finally the cheering started. Maggie just stood there with her hand over her mouth, slightly overcome and after composing herself, she began to descend the staircase. McCoy whispered can she make an entrance or what.? Jim just shushed him and started to clap along with the cadets. 

As she got to the bottom of the stairs, Admiral McNeil quieted everyone and made a speech.

“Professor Marguerite Stuart, it gives me the greatest honor to see you off to your new post. Our loss at the Academy will be the Enterprises’ greatest gain. Please cadets and officers, raise your glass to salute our departing Professor Extraordinaire,...I give you Commander Stuart!” 

He handed Maggie a flute of champagne as well as to the command staff and CMO of the Enterprise. They all saluted her and drank to her good health. Her eyes welling up, she raised her glass to the Admiral and cadets and trying to blink away the tears she said “I shall miss you all,” then wiped tears from her eye. She turned to Captain Kirk and said “And I will do my best, Sir.” The men of the Enterprise saluted her again and she heard in her mind a soft whisper *Well done, Marguerite.* She nodded to Spock and then put the glass down to shake hands with the Admiral. Other cadets came up and wished the professor well. Finally, the place began to empty out and Maggie turned to Kirk and McCoy, put her hands on her hips and stood there glaring at them.

“Did you two know about this? Why didn’t you tell me. Leonard you know I hate  
surprises.” Maggie looked them both with what she called her “Teacher’s Eye.” 

“All three of us knew of this celebration when we went back to the Enterprise last evening. The task of making sure you went to your office to clear it out was given to me. However, I did not know about your aides and their packing up plans. A most fortuitous occurrence.” 

Maggie gave them all the once over with a particular “teacher look” of unbelief and distrust and then McCoy came out and said, 

“Damn it to hell Maggie, what’s the point of tellin’ ya if the cadets wanted to give ya a proper send off. Seems to me these cadets have a hell of a lot of respect for you.” 

Maggie felt very tired all of a sudden and meekly nodded in the affirmative. She leaned against a wall and rubbed her forehead as if she had a headache. Getting recognition for a job well done was not her thing. She never sought that kind of “crap” as she called it and felt she was just doing her job. 

“Yes, I know,...it was nice,...and I do appreciate you all coming back down to celebrate with them. The whole thing,...as I said was a surprise. Well,...” Maggie started to walk towards the front doors of the building with the men, “I need to do some packing up in my own home, but how about I beam up with you to see what’s what?”


	6. A single to first base.

Chapter 7  
Ambassador Sarek cleared his computer screen and swirled around in his chair, to look out on the bay. He formed a steeple with his fingers, closed his eyes and thought about the information T’Pau had given him. It seems Spock was right. He quickly jotted off a message to Spock on his PADD and sent it to him. He stated that when they board the ship in 2 weeks time, to be taken to Starbase 24 for an interplanetary conference, he would elaborate more. Until then, it would be best to keep silent on this matter. 

It was regrettable what happened between Dr. Chapel and Spock,... but Sarek was at a loss. What do you advise a son who is quite old enough to make his own decisions? Spock has now met a woman who he formed an empathic bond with,...almost immediately. Dr. Stuart taught at the Academy for over 20 years, is brilliant in her theories of ancient sociological, economic, anthropological insights. He personally trained her mind in telepathy, it’s use to probe, communicate and to keep one’s privacy intact. She is very charming, well spoken, talented. As his wife Amanda observed, she is a perfect choice for Spock. After much digging into her DNA and into her genealogical annals, the Vulcans found the answer of the enigma known as Prof. Maggie Stuart,....a recessive gene had reared its head in the professor. The gene was a product of a consensual or non-consensual mating on the father’s or mother’s side of the family that happened generations and generations ago, when Vulcans were first out in space and exploring,... perhaps during the time of Zefram Cochran's discovery of warp drive,....or before, no one can say. But it was a mating that required nothing in the way of extra prenatal care of the pregnancy,....or did it? Sarek thought now the Doctor’s entire genealogical as well as biological histories have become a mystery. He looked out onto the bay and noticed once again it has started to rain and the fog was rolling back in. Much like the latest news about Doctor Stuart, the fog is covering the bay with it’s cold clammy cape. The ambassador shook his head quickly, he was waxing poetic about the dampness of this San Francisco Bay. He turned back to his computer console and place a call back to T’Pau and authorized further study into this mystery of the Doctor. 

Four forms materialized on the transport pad of the Enterprise, with Scotty at the console bringing to completion the beam up. Maggie Stuart, Spock, McCoy and Captain Kirk walked off the pad and immediately introduced Maggie to Scotty. 

“Stuart? Are you a Scott, Lassie?” Maggie smiled at the chief engineer. 

“I’m many things, Scotty, a historian, archaeologist, paleontologist, bar crawler,” McCoy did a double take on that one, “and perhaps some Scottish blood rolled in there.” 

She continued to walk around the transport station and thought how very big and nice and clean,...and sterile. 

*Oh well,* she thought. *I’ll have it mucked up with stuff I bring back to analyze.*

*You do realize this is a ship of exploration, not a ship of archaeology, Professor.*  
Maggie turned quickly to Spock and thought back *of course I do!* 

Thus started a quiet “conversation” between Maggie and Spock. McCoy said “Jim” and diverted his attention to Maggie and the Vulcan. The two men with Scotty watched as Maggie being obviously emotional with hand movements and body language and Spock calmly, with his hands behind his back stoic, but chastising Maggie. 

*Damn it, Spock! Did you really think I thought this was my own personal yacht for archaeology? I may look dumb, but I ain’t that stupid!”

“Professor,....you do not look dumb, you speak quite eloquently.”

“WHAT?! Oh, not that kind of dumb,...” 

Maggie rubbed her forehead, looked up and took a deep breath. She realized that she and Spock had an audience and looked over at Kirk, McCoy and Scotty. 

“Gheese Captain, ya didna tell me she’s Vulcan too,” said Scotty.

Maggie giggled at that revelation of Scotty’s and said “No, not quite,...at least I don’t think so. I’m a full telepath, but I am 100% Terran. Captain Spock was just reminding me that this isn’t my private yacht for the sole purpose of archaeology that the Enterprise is a ship of exploration.” She turned back to Spock. She was going to initiate the telepathic bond they share, but then stopped. 

“Forgive me, Spock. I tend to get emotional when challenged.” Spock nodded his head in acknowledgement, but then blurted out in a random thought.

*There is nothing to forgive, K’diwa.* Maggie’s eyes got big and noticed Spock’s eyes shut while his ears turned a darker shade of olive. She saw he knew of his faux pa and cocked her head slightly in amusement. 

As they walked out of the transport room towards the lift, she fell in line with Spock and softly spoke to him in a teasing voice: “K’diwa,....yet another random thought to add to your growing file of random thoughts.” He looked over at her and noticed she was smiling. 

“Now it is I who seeks forgiveness,” he said softly.

“Why? That’s a beautiful thing to say to someone,... even if it just slipped out, I wasn’t offended.” She reached out to touch his arm and then remembered, Vulcans don’t like to be touched. “I haven’t been called anything that nice by a man, human or otherwise, in a long time. Of course,... I don’t get out much.” 

She chuckled as they piled into the lift which took them to the deck where science and research were in particular, history and archaeology. As they exited out Spock was having serious problems with his control. This telepathic connection comes so easily to Spock,... as if they were bonded mates. He is sure the pathway is empathic in nature, and feels very comfortable to speak with her in this manner, somewhat intimate. It is that comfortable frame of mind with Maggie is what he has sought after these long years and yet being disappointed when potential friendships come up short. 

Maggie stepped through the doors to the department and saw her boxes in the middle of the floor from the office at the Academy that were being unpacked by her two aides. They waved hello and William promptly gave Maggie a PADD to see what inventory they had to work with. Terry, the aide “without a filter” as previously mentioned by Maggie, expressed exuberantly to Captain Kirk how wonderful the Enterprise is and it was her very first time on a real Starship. Maggie calmly added that they were used to the large shuttles that took them to nearby planets for archaeological expeditions. The captain gave a lopsided grin and said “carry on” to the two aides. 

Fortunately, the Enterprise has a vast computer with all sorts of references within it. She found that she didn’t need to bring her own library and references aboard, but still found that having a book in her hand sometimes is worth having the latest updates in the computer. She called it force of habit, but there was something about a book, the feel of the vellum of printed words, or having a leather-bound copy of something made her happy beyond words. She still felt she would bring along her references, but leave behind some of her leather bound editions. Perhaps Sarek would appreciate Shakespeare.


	7. A Line Drive

Maggie left archaeology with her two aides in charge to finish unpacking her stuff and then setting up her office with her books and artifacts. Captain Kirk and Spock took her up to the bridge to see just how big it is. As the lift doors opened and she stepped forward, she looked at Jim and said “Wow.” The place was pulled apart and a mess as new consoles and chairs were being put in a new and bigger screen was being hoisted up. 

Maintenance was everywhere. Jim had requested they leave his old Captain’s chair behind, but they were unscrewing it and putting in a new one anyway. This caused the Captain to have a heated “talk” with the maintenance crew on why his old chair was being replaced when it was something he was used to. Maggie just looked at Spock, shrugged her shoulders and went around the bridge looking at the various stations asking about them and their function. None of the rest of the senior staff were there as most of them had left for shore leave. Since there wasn’t much else to see, Maggie stated to Jim in the middle of his talk with maintenance she was going down to SickBay. Spock decided to accompany her as he wanted to go to his quarters to meditate. As they got into the lift and Maggie said “SickBay,” she turned to Spock.

“You’re going to your room to meditate Why?”

“It is necessary,” replied Spock. 

“I’m sorry,...I seem to make you do things or react to things you as a Vulcan are not accustomed to. You can put the blame totally on me. I have a tendency to do that to most people I’m around. I’ve just never been able to deal with authority,...unless I’m the authority.” She noticed a beginning of a half smile on Spock’s face. “It’s ok, we’re in the lift. I won’t tell if you smile.” 

*Do you promise, K’diwa?* Spock asked her in a flirtatious manner, looking at her with smouldering eyes that stared into her very soul. 

*I promise,...t’hy’la.* The lift doors open with Maggie walking through and to the left to SickBay. Spock stayed in the lift not quite believing she just returned a term of endearment. As he ventured out he heard her laughter as she watched him tentatively come out of the lift. 

Walking backwards, but towards SickBay, “I’m a bad influence, what can I say. I give as good as I get!” She did a mock bow and smiled “her special smile” at Spock who by this time was totally amused at her and lifted his trademark eyebrow with his stoic expression that gave him a regal appearance. Then she called out “Lenny,... where you at?” 

“I’m right here,” called out Dr. McCoy. “Come on in. Might as well get this physical exam done. You bet your sweet ass you’re a bad influence, Missy. Spock, is she driving you to distraction yet?”

“No, Doctor McCoy, the professor and I were having an interesting conversation; however, I must now go to my quarters. I am expecting a communication from the Ambassador and I must do some work.” Spock nodded his head to the Doctor and to Maggie turned on his heel and left. Maggie called out “where do you live?” He replied “two doors down from you on deck 7.”

“Gee, ya got his phone number,” laughed McCoy as he gave Maggie a medical PADD. “Here just go over this and tell me if I need to make any changes. I see you just had a physical 3 weeks ago. Everything ok with you?” When he didn’t get an immediate answer, McCoy looked up from the PADD he was reading and stared at Maggie who was finishing up reading the PADD he had handed her. She smiled and said everything is fine. Nothing odd to report.

“I’m doing great for a 63-year-old, who acts like she’s 33 years old, with a mentality of a 13-year-old.” McCoy smiled and mentioned that she didn’t look a day over 39. She replied “liar” with a lot of laughter.

Spock left Sickbay and beat a hasty retreat back to the lift and called out deck 7. He’s never come across such a woman before this Marguerite Stuart. She’s friendly towards all, and very much so to him. But to call him t’hy’la,...*we have only known each other for two days. Of course, it was I who slipped and called her ‘beloved’ in vulcan. I have had very good control in the past. Even Dr. Chapel did not do this to me, where I slip. Perhaps some solid meditation will give me the answers I need.* He left the lift and walked to his door opened it and went immediately to his desk. His comm was flashing and noticed the message was from his father. A live communication. Sitting down he turned on the console and screen to see his father there waiting. 

“Sarek, Ambassador.” Spock formed the Ta’al as did his father in return. “You have news.”

“I do, my son. It seems you were correct in your hypothesis concerning the Ms Stuart. A more thorough DNA profile was done along with a genetic base screening and there seems to be a recessive gene in Ms. Stuart that has mutated, giving her the telepathic abilities she has. The gene however, is not human,...it is Vulcan. Somewhere in her genealogical past, on either side of the parents, a Vulcan mated with one or the other generations ago. The gene in question mutated or became active with this progeny. She has, therefore the same design as you, my son.”

“Not quite, Sarek,” said Spock steepling his fingers. “I was born this way,....she mutated to her current status.” Sarek nodded in Spock’s conclusion, but couldn’t help notice some agitation in his son’s appearance.

“What is wrong, Spock. What troubles you?” Spock took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. Perhaps his father could shed some light on this problem, something that he hasn’t reasoned out, perhaps some wisdom,....

“Being with her is a constant chess match, father. She teases me and yet I am not offended, in fact I look forward to the light banter. However, just when I think I have her for “check,” she moves a pawn, a rook some piece on the board and she is out of “check” and has me in “mate.” She is bold and I like that. Then my control slips, I called her a term of endearment and I’ve only known her for two days. Is there something wrong with me? It is not logical for me to react in this way.”

Sarek gave what would be described as a short pop of exhaled laughter. You could almost see a smile form on his mouth as well as his eyes as they twinkled. 

“You know, Spock you are describing someone who did the same thing to me when I first met her, many years ago. She enjoyed as she said ‘keeping me on my toes.’ I found that once I understood the phrase, I enjoyed it very much also. So much so,... I married her. I married her because as I recall saying to you it was the logical thing to do,...but I married her because,... I love her. Where logic is concerned, it sometimes goes hand in hand with love. As for being bold,...Spock tell me this,...was Christine Chapel bold with you? Did she make you want to counter with the rook when you know logically it should be the bishop?” Spock thought for a moment and said unequivocally,... 

“No,...Miss Chapel could be sarcastic to the point where it got to be tiresome. I found myself becoming sarcastic and caustic as well. It is not a replacement for dry wit and humor. Ms Stuart is not sarcastic,...or when she is, it comes out amusing and not offensive.”

“I find her,.....fascinating. I want to know more about her, her opinions, her likes and dislikes.” Spock stopped himself as he watched his father with his eyes softening, much like his mother’s do.

“My son,....the only advice I will give you is to follow your heart. Strange advice for a male who follows logic, but in this case, it is logical for you to follow your heart where Ms Stuart is concerned. I would also advise again not to speak of what we have found out until your mother and I come aboard for the conference at Starbase 24. Do you understand?”

“Completely sir.”

“Then I wish you,...long life for you and for Ms Stuart.” 

“Thank you Sir.”

Spock shut his screen down, got up and went to his meditation space. His father had just given his blessing to pursue and now with a toss of incense into the burner, he inhaled the spicy aroma, knelt down and began his meditations. 

Sarek placed a call home to Amanda right after talking with Spock. There was a twinkle in his dark brown eyes as his wife’s face came on the screen. 

“Amanda,...”

“Yes, my husband?”

“Have you started preparations for end meal yet?”

“I was about to,...why?”

“Do not do anything. I would like to take you out to dinner,...”

“Sarek, what are we celebrating?” Amanda’s eyes lit up with twinkly stars.

“We are celebrating that you were right concerning our son and the Professor.” Amanda clasped her hands and held on to them for dear life. 

“Oh Sarek, really?”

“Indeed, my wife.”

“Then let me suggest that instead of taking me out, I make us a light dinner that we can nibble on as we retire,... to the bedroom for the evening.”

Sarek’s eyes immediately darkened with desire and his voice deepened as he asked “are you sure?”

“I’m very sure,” she replied her eyes also becoming a deep dark blue and sparkly.

“I will be home within the hour.”

“Make it a half-hour and I will get out the chocolate covered strawberries you like so much,....with the whipped cream.” Sarek closed his eyes as Amanda sent him an image of the last time they had “chocolate covered strawberries with whipped cream.”

“I will be home in 14.05 minutes.” 

The monitor went dark.


	8. A double to second base.

It was well after 1 am when Maggie returned home to her very soon to be vacated townhouse. The sale was almost done and Ambassador Sarek and the Lady Amanda would be taking it over. But oh brother what a day and an afternoon and evening. She thought she was going to enjoy her new posting on the Enterprise and grabbed the bottle of Bourbon Leonard McCoy left and poured herself a glass. K’diwa, t’hy’la,...these are words that convey beloved or loved one or friend, and she said them to him and he did to her. What is going on with me? 

“I mean granted, I am a flirt,...always have been,” Maggie said to herself as she walked to the balcony and looked out on the Bay. She took another swig of her drink and continued talking to herself. “I’m a bit of a smart-ass as well and this is beyond flirting or something. Makes no sense. He’s so easy to tease and it’s like he enjoys it and tried to goad me on,....and I like that.” 

She started thinking about all the men she has had a serious relationship with, which haven’t been a whole lot. Outside of Leonard, which wasn’t a romantic relationship, just a close friendship, a guy she dated at the Academy that wasn’t worth spit, and some occasional rendezvous that ended either in face slapping or 6 weeks tops and then they move on, but nothing worth writing about. 

She took another swallow of her drink and then sat down at her desk to start an inventory list. Working away, she was slowly getting tired, but she wanted to finish this list so she could start packing things away tomorrow morning. As she worked away, her eyelids grew heavier by the minute. Finishing her drink, she leaned her head back in the chair and slowly fell asleep. Her screen changed and there was Spock who was having trouble sleeping and decided to see if Maggie was awake. He watched her as she slept and found she stirred something within him. He found he was thinking of what it would be like to find this soft and lovely face next to him in bed and then just as quickly put that thought out of his mind. She sighed softly and stretched a little, opened her eyes and practically jumped out of her skin to see Spock on her screen. Maggie made a noise of surprise and spoke to him, ”do you always watch people sleep on the screen?”

“Why are you not here on the Enterprise.”

“Spock, I have two more weeks before I’m on board.” “Why are you not asleep,” Maggie countered.

“I require very little sleep, Professor. I was hoping you would be here as I wanted to,...talk with you,...perhaps get to know you.” Maggie smiled that smile of hers. 

“Come down here, we can talk. Oh and when we are alone,...you can call me by my first name.”

“Very well.” The screen went dim and in about 20.2 seconds Maggie heard the familiar whine of the transporter and the form of Spock,...in his white robe appeared.

“Did you,...are you wearing your night clothes,” she asked him. Her eyes were twinkling with laughter. “Is that your bathrobe?”

“Yes. Do you want me to take the robe off?”

She raised her eyebrows and then asked, “Ummm,....are you wearing pajamas underneath?”

“What are pajamas, Marguerite,” he asked as he started to unwrap his robe.

“It’s what you wear when you’re in bed.” 

Spock thought for 2.5 seconds and answered “No, I sleep in the nude,...don’t you?”

“ Spock,... the only way you will know what I sleep in, is if you are sleeping in bed with me. Since that hasn’t happened, you’re not going to know, but please keep your robe on. It’s a little chilly tonight.” 

Perceiving the humor of the moment, Spock in his best innocent face said to her “but then you won’t know if I’m wearing pajamas.” His face radiated a smug expression, but that just goaded Maggie on. 

“Indeed, you mean you’re willing to drop your robe right now in front of me and the balcony window?” Spock then conceded defeat and once again his imperceptible half-smile briefly made an appearance. 

“You are a clever woman, Marguerite.” 

“To quote my dear friend Leonard McCoy, ‘you bet your sweet ass I’m clever.’

Spock’s brows knitted in perceived confusion at what she just said. “First you say my ass must be hit with a door on the way out, then my ass must be sweet. I do not understand your idioms.” 

With that comment, Maggie started laughing and thinking to herself *Ohhhh, I’m going to leave that alone.* 

“Would you like some tea, perhaps something that doesn’t have caffeine in it?”


	9. A Hit deep into left field, rounding third and heading towards home.

They talked and talked for the rest of the night. They talked about,....everything it seemed. Maggie did her spiel about earth history and when continents were divided up as Europe, the United States, and the rest. How each individual history of the various races made up the history that is earth. Spock noted how violent Terrans were, but no less violent than his own race 5000 plus years ago. How one Vulcan, Surok based a philosophy and way of life on logic and nonviolence, the suppression of emotions. The purge of these emotions. Although Maggie listened and praised the reforms and initiated “The Awakening” she also argued that even though Vulcans suppressed their emotions, they still had them, so what was the point of purging one’s soul as she called it for the sake of logic. Is it logical that this purge is not a permanent solution, because emotion will still float up from where you put it. She added that it would be better to embrace the emotion and let it enhance logical thought and accepting a more nonviolent way of life. How can one appreciate a flower or music if all one sees is the geometric figures of a petal or the mathematics of music theory and composition? Spock listened to her and had a great deal of respect for this woman and her ideas. She was not afraid to convey her thoughts and reasoning to him, a Vulcan. She was indeed very bold, in a way that belied her true strength of mind and soul within. She then juxtaposed another man of earth, whose ideas and thoughts launched a religion and way of life and was very much like Surok. His name was Jesus of Nazareth. Spock was familiar with the idea of two similar philosophies evolving from two different races on different planets. Maggie said if you think that’s interesting, there are other religions like Islam, Hindu, Shintoism, and it was her opinion that most, if not all wars were based on religion, and whoever has the most and best goodies, wins with the exception perhaps of civil wars, which in her opinion, never solved anything. 

They talked about their lives, but when Spock talked of his death, her face was stricken with grief so profound,...even though she was talking to him,...just the thought of him dying to save his crew members brought tears to her eyes and she started to cry, begging him to stop talking. Seeing her pain, he came to her side,...he didn’t know why he did this,...but he embraced her and telepathically comforted her with words of ‘ it is of no concern; I am here.’ She knew that. Marguerite had a tendency to get empathically involved with stories and subjects,...especially those of a historical nature. It’s why she was so damnably good at finding at the root the historical aspects of archaeology.  
It’s not just digging in the dirt and getting her hands dirty for her, she would literally feel the history,...very similar to psychometry. 

She looked up at him and just said “I am so sorry that happened to you, but,...at the same time, did you learn anything from the experience.” Spock couldn’t resist a twist of humor.

“Yes,...don’t die.” 

She started to laugh, seeing the humor and saying to him “Check Mate.” What he did next he never had regrets of doing, he found her psi points and then very softly brushed her lips with his. He really didn’t have to find her points as they already speak to each other with their empathic bond, but,...he wanted to feel what she was feeling and thinking when they touched lips. What they both felt was something short of a bolt of lightning. She vaguely felt something,...she couldn’t put her finger on it, but it was warm,...a longing perhaps. They parted and looked directly into each other’s eyes. She swallowed hard and after a time,

“Oh my,...”

“Indeed,...”

“What are we doing, Spock. Do we know?”

“I,....do not know,...although I,...am enjoying this experience. Are you?” She smiled slowly came very close to his chest and could feel him breathing into her hair. 

After a moment,...”I think I should go, however. You need your sleep.”

She was getting sleepy, but she had just one more thing to say to him. 

“Spock?”

“Yes, Marguerite.”

“Would you do that one more time,...before you go?” Spock said to her he would, found her points and softly kissed her. She could feel what could only be described as a warm light enveloping her as his arms embraced her. She felt so safe and protected, as if they both had stepped out of time and space,...so soft and comfortable,...and then it was over. She touched his lips with her fingers and his mouth parted,...she shivered and then smiled.

“You should bottle that and put a patent on it.”

“Bottle what?” She confused him again.

“Whatever that is,....and on that note,...I bid a very fond goodnight or rather good morning. We talked the night away.”

“Yes, we did.”

“I probably won’t be on the ship until the end of the week. I have a few things to tie up neatly here. I need to beam my piano to the concert hall and what boxes of books and things I want to bring with me.” Maggie was now staggering as she was really tired. She touched his face and he kissed her palm and again a sensation. She started to softly laugh. He backed up, taking out his communicator and called for a beam up. As he left, she had a random thought of Scotty seeing Spock in his robe. He sent to her a thought *better that, than to beam me up nude.* 

*Damn!* She laughed all the way to her bedroom, where she finally stripped her clothes off and collapsed into bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there will be eyebrows raised when one tries to compare the philosophies of Surok and Jesus, but they are similar in that they are of peace and nonviolence. The big difference between the two is that one wants to purge love out of the quotient and the other embraces love and it is the most important feeling to have in Christianity, with logic serving as a backdrop. It's ok gang, that's why it's called "Fan Fiction."


	10. Moving Day

Spock stepped off the transport pad and nodded to Scotty. Scotty didn’t say a thing. After all, he witnessed the man’s resurrection after sacrificing himself, watched him do mathematical calculations in his head to get them time traveling via the “sling-shot” effect around the sun with two whales and a PhD from the 1980’s on board a wreck of a Klingon bird of prey. If he wants to walk around in his bathrobe or whatever the devil,... it’s alright with him. 

At this point, Spock didn’t care if he was walking down the corridor naked for all to see,...he has a new friend in his life. Stepping into his quarters, he began to review last night. He admired her mind, the way her thoughts are put together. Granted, what she talked about he had already discovered in his own study of earth history, but her unique style of presenting information was just,...well,...intriguing. He sat on his bed and thought about the kiss he gave her. How could one be so affected by such a small act of affection? Affection,...he could have bonded with her right then and there and she   
would have let him,...and there lies a question. Why is this happening so fast? 

Vulcan males know when they were close to “awakening to Pon Farr” and he was far from it, if they were bonded, so did their mates. His last bout of the fever was with Christine and she willingly complied. So logically, what he is experiencing is not that. But what is it? Marguerite was quite right to question the velocity of which they were going. But,...she asked him to kiss her again before he left. To touch her soft lips. That pleased him. His half smile made an appearance and then he thought t’nash-veh (mine). *Yes,* he thought as he went to meditate, his face in stoic form of neutral,...he began to meditate thinking this phrase *she will be mine.*

Maggie woke up sleeping diagonal on her bed, naked with the exception of the bed sheet draped up by her shoulders. She rolled over onto her back and looked over at the clock on the nightstand,...2 in the afternoon??? She laid there and then started laughing. *OH MY WORD!* she thought. *It was just talking and then it became so much more. That kiss! I feel like I just got kissed for the first time.* She laid there and threw off the sheet. Getting up she jumped into the shower, but was loathe to take one, preferring the spicy scent of the Vulcan, who has invaded her life with such,.... ahhh,...she didn’t know what to call it,...love,...longing? No, not just yet,...maybe friendship. Yes, that’s it. Is that why she’s been a little restless, supposedly looking for a change? Could be, she thought. Some change. But right now, I’m going to enjoy this fascinating new friendship and where ever this ends up to be will be fine for her. Drying off, she thought she heard the distinct sound of her computer buzzing, letting her know that she had an incoming message. She quickly put on an old Academy sweatshirt and pants, ran to the console and sat down. She was hoping it might be her new Vulcan friend and did see that the communication came from the Enterprise,...a few of them to be exact, but this one is live. She activated her screen and it was,...Scotty.

“Lassie, you have a request to beam aboard a baby grand piano? Where in the blue blazes did you get that?”

“It was my father’s. I was going to leave it behind, but I find I really don’t want to part with it. It’s an antique, Scotty. Is there any way we can get it aboard?”

“Aye. I thought you wanted me to do something hard. I can beam two crewmen down, make sure everything is secure. Of course you want the bench to go too,... I’ll beam the piano, the crewmen and yourself if you like to the concert hall, where you can set it up the way you want it.”

“Scotty, you are an answer to this girl’s prayers, but just the piano and bench. I still have some things to do yet down here; but honestly, I thought I was going to have to take it apart.”

“No Lass. Oh by the way, did you have a nice time last night?” Maggie paused for a minute and then trying to be innocent asked: “Last night?”

“I beamed him up,” Scotty said with a twinkle in his eye. “I’m not passing judgement I just wanted to know if you had a nice time.”

Maggie could see Scotty was being “friendly” so she gave him an honest answer.

“Scotty,...I had a lovely time. We talked all night and I nearly passed out from being so tired, so he left. I went to bed and didn’t get up until just a little while ago.” 

She chuckled and reminded Scotty that she hadn’t done anything like that since her days as a cadet. Scotty then got a beep on his console and said Commander Uhura was cutting in. Maggie gave him a mock salute and waited.

“Commander Stuart? This is Commander Nyota Uhura. You’ve have a few people wanting to speak to you.”

“Sheesh! I feel like I haven’t left the Academy. How many are there?”

“Let’s see,...Dr. McCoy,...Captain Kirk,....Scotty you’ve already talked to,....and oh yes, Ambassador Sarek.”

“The Ambassador,....I’ll take him first, then the Captain, then Leonard.”

“Oh yes, and Mr. Spock.” Maggie narrowed her eyes and watched the commander’s eyes blink like a deer caught in headlamps. She commented “Hmmm” as she continued to watch. *Seems like everyone has a good idea where Spock spent his time last night,* she thought.

“Then Captain Spock will be last. Okay,” she sighed and cocked her head slightly. “Let’s have the Ambassador. Just as soon as I’m done with one flip the next one up and,...thank you for doing this.”

“Oh, you’re welcome and welcome to the Enterprise.” 

“Thank you.” The console flipped and Ambassador Sarek appeared.

“Ambassador,” a ta’al appeared, “Live long and prosper. To what do I owe this visit? How can I be of assistance.”

“It is I, who will assist you with information. As you know, Lady Amanda and I are coming aboard your ship to be transported to Starbase 24 for a Federation Conference along with other dignitaries and Ambassadors. There will also be delegates from the Federation Council, one that you have an acquaintance with.” Maggie sighed. *This guy will not leave her alone*.

“Senator Wainwright?”

“Yes. Professor,...I have communicated this information to Spock as well. He is,...very interested that your transition from academia to starship responsibilities goes smoothly.” Maggie smiled at that little bit of a fib coming from the Ambassador. “He is amenable to a friendship with you.” Well, Maggie could have laughed right out loud at that remark. *Amenable! Oh Mr. Ambassador, if you only knew how amenable your son is,...and for that matter, so am I. Eek! Did I just think that?* If Sarek heard her mind he didn’t show it, but his eyebrow went up and his eyes had an amused look about them.

“When we board, I will wish to speak with you about something as well,...it has to do with your,...heritage.” Maggie’s good humor was lost and she questioned Sarek.

“You know?” Suddenly the room felt very small and she was being put into a box of some sort. Damn she hated that feeling. Arguments from long ago, with her parents started coming to the forefront,...something she didn’t wish to think about.

“The Vulcan High Council knows and wishes to offer their support for you, should you need it. We will talk more about this when I come aboard.”

“Very well, Ambassador. I look forward to seeing you. Stuart out.” As her screen cut out with the Ambassador’s face, Captain Kirk’s face kicked in.

“Hello Captain. What did I do this time?” 

“Nothing that I know of, unless you and Spock went running around in your bathrobes in your front yard at 2 am in the morning.” Maggie rolled her eyes and shook her head in the negative.

“What am I going to do with you. I can’t chat with someone just to get to know them? This is worse than Academy days. You know I hate gossip.”

“Now hold on. Spock is one my closest and dearest friends. I’m just making sure everybody’s ok. What you have to understand is that we’re a family and we look out for each other, just like Bones and I always looked out for you and will continue to do so. But this is the first time in two years, Spock has been himself. I don’t care what you do or why you two get along, but I like my ship running smoothly and that happens when my crew runs smoothly. You got that?” He finished his speech with a smile. 

“Look, Jamie boy,” she said with a grin knowing he hated being called Jamie. We’re just friends and I don’t know where it’s going, but thus far, Spock has been very helpful, a perfect gentleman and what happened with his previous relationship is really none of my business. You know,...he’s fortunate and so am I for that matter, to have you and Leonard as trusted close friends. Trust is hard to gain back once it’s been trashed,...I should know. I’m not only talking about what just happened with me and the Academy.” She paused to let that bit of information get digested by Jim. Accepting her answer he decided to pursue a different subject. 

“Now why are you talking to Spock’s father? I saw you had a message from Ambassador Sarek.”

“He had some information for me concerning who’s coming aboard for a ride to Starbase 24.”

“Yeah, I saw that on the manifest as to who we’re picking up. But I have another piece of gossip,...I mean information for you to keep under your hat. I’ve already told Spock. Guess who’s seeing him socially?”

“Christine Chapel. Jim,...I understand you want the ship to run smooth, but some advice to you from your favorite telepath,...stay out of what you might not understand. Women do the strangest things for the damnedest reasons. I’ll say no more.” Jim coughed slightly and shook his head in the affirmative. Maggie didn’t know the woman and already felt sorry for her.

“Too much of a soap opera going on, good Lord, Jim. Say Leonard isn’t around is he? He wants to talk to me,...along with Spock.”

“He’s right here, but I have one more thing to ask of you. How are you at putting together some entertainment for the Ambassadors, etc. like a concert or something?”

Maggie thought for a minute. “Yeah I can do that. What do they like, classical?”

“The majority do,” said Jim, “some like jazz, some like the stuff you and Bones like, New Orleans dive bars.” Maggie chuckled and said that would be cute. Jim also mentioned there would be a dance at the end of the journey, on Starbase 24,...” then we hang out until they’re done, then take them home.”

“Jim will our new holodeck be in operation? If it is, I could plan stuff around that and the concert hall,...yep I can do it, but do you have enough musicians on board?” 

Jim laughed. He pointed out that besides himself and Bones, just about everyone here played an instrument, sang and not just in the bathroom. Some of them could pursue professional careers if they wanted to. Maggie said no problem she’d be happy to do it, as well as participate.

McCoy pushed his way on basically to say the same thing to Maggie about Spock. She rolled her eyes and laid into McCoy, asking what was wrong with everyone? “He just came down to talk with me and we had tea. What’s the big deal? And if you think by riling me up you’re gonna find out stuff, you’re sadly mistaken. I never kiss and tell.”

“Ok, Maggie, but,...” She cut him off. *There’s just so much I can take and let me tell you Leonard,..!* What Maggie said next she thought,...practically screamed at the screen. She was pissed, too many people who want to know her business. She didn’t like that. She got up and started ranting unaware that Spock had clicked on and was waiting for Maggie to calm down. He heard her ranting and calmly waited for her to get within range that he could call to her. Finally, she sat back down with a glass of iced water and looked into the dark brown eyes of Spock. Whatever anger she had melted away and a half smile slowly appeared on her face. She thought *wasted energy.*

“What is wasted energy, Marguerite?” Spock cocked his head ever so slightly as he asked his question.

“Anger,” she answered. “It is illogical to waste energy on the emotion of anger when it accomplishes nothing. There is nothing I can do to change the situation of people wanting to know my personal business. Since there is nothing I can do, I accept it, and move on, or continue to be illogical. It’s just that simple, Spock.”

“A brilliant piece of logic Marguerite, but what has caused you to rant to begin with? Who has upset you? Do you want me to come down and “comfort” you again.” Maggie looked at Spock with wide eyes of amusement.

“No,...I’m coming up. But first I will pack what I need to and,...” the door buzzer sounded. Maggie looked at her front door and said to Spock “hold on please.” He nodded as she noticed his look of amusement on his face. She got up and went to open the door and was greeted by her aides William and Terry who were as they said reporting for packing duty per Captain Spock. They walked in and began to open closets to see what needed to be packed. Maggie sat back down to see a superior looking Spock trying very hard not to look,...well,...too superior. It’s not that she didn’t like the planning, far from it, it’s just perhaps she wanted to be in on the planning. As a matter of fact, if Maggie had given it some thought, she would have gotten her aides to do just this very thing, so when she sat down again Spock had thought another verbal sparring was in order, but none came. *Most curious,* he thought.

“What’s most curious, Captain Spock,” questioned Maggie as she got comfortable at her desk.

“I expected to enter into a debate with you about having your packing taken care of.” 

He was right. She normally would have pitched a fit, but why should she? This is something she would have planned. These are her students, her aides who either by order or would volunteer to do the work. One must also set a good example,...she just wished that they were coming with her, a sort of practicum learning what it’s like to be on a Starship.

“I’m not really upset about it except that I would have liked to have known they were coming, but,...it’s something I would have planned myself,” she gave Spock a look of amusement, “if I had been allowed to plan for my transfer.” Maggie continued to watch her aides as they busily worked at packing clothing in her luggage as well as books. She said to leave the works of Shakespeare here. There was a familiar hum of the transporter and two crewman set about fixing the piano to beam up along with the bench and two boxes filled with sheet music. She excused herself from the desk to walk into bedroom. There in a closet she had put her uniforms in clothing bags, two regular and one dress. The rest of her clothing were in other bags. She quickly put her jeans and sweatshirt back on, came out with a pair of sneakers in her hand to put on. Maggie told her aides to put her boots into the shoe box, along with her heels and various other shoes. 

In very short order, Maggie was packed up and all ready to go. The piano went first, along with the music boxes, then her personal belongings, her uniforms, her books and with a “See ya later,” to Spock and making sure all windows and doors were locked, she gave her keys to Terry, who was to wait for the Vulcans to arrive and unpack the new owners,...when they took the place over. Terry and William made sure all was packed and did a once over and then left. Maggie then left a message for the Ambassador and his wife, welcoming them to their new home and to ask for forgiveness for taking the piano, but she said it was her father’s and the only thing she has of his and felt the crew would also benefit from it. Saving the message, she shut the computer down and then with her communicator, called for a beam up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first 10 chapters and I have more to put up. Of course, I also need to write them and edit and rewrite,...you know how that goes. Getting your first story up in about a bzillion years can be agonizing, because I want to get it right the first time. I know I need better character development and stronger descriptions, but this comes with time and more writing. Oh! one more thing,...I am not a big fan of pairing Christine with Spock. I always detested the unrequited love aspect of Nurse/Doctor Chapel. When somebody says "No, not today constantly," it's time to move on. So she did,...and with unique results. 
> 
> LLAP


	11. 1 out,...runners at 1st and third.

In one of the posh, exclusive restaurants in the trendy area of San Francisco, Senator Harmon Wainwright was holding the hand of a lovely auburn haired woman. The woman was Christine Chapel, who looking into the eyes of the senator and thinking how nice it was not to have to carry the conversation constantly the way she did with Spock. Although the topics always seemed to gravitate to politics and the latest whine from one of the Federation planets, for the most part, Christine felt like she had the ear of the Council. 

“So, Christine,” said Harmon softly taking her hand again and rubbing the top with his thumb, “I understand Dr. Marguerite Stuart, the archaeologist is coming aboard your ship.”

“I guess,” Christine responded not really sure where the conversation was going.

“She’s a close friend of Dr. McCoys,...he’s the chief medical officer. She’s a very fine archaeologist and I’m told a fine musician.” 

“Yes, her father is McKenzie Stuart the concert pianist. It runs in the family. Tell me Christine, have you met her?” Christine is wondering why this conversation is running towards a crew member she’s yet to meet? The scuttlebutt is she has Spock bemused and confused. Well, maybe she’s not so bad after all. But that would mean,...Spock has moved on. Damn! “Oh, what’s that Harm,” she asked clearing her mind.

The senator smiled at his companion then took another sip of wine. He knew she was thinking of the First officer. He asked her again if she had met the commander and she replied no she hadn’t. The waiter brought their first course, served it and then moved off for them to enjoy. Harmon was already formulating his plan to ruin this Commander,...she tried to ruin his son’s chances of becoming a Captain with his own ship,...fortunately he has friends in high places and had that judgment expunged from his son’s record and can return to the Academy, once he passed the final exam, which he did. Now it was just a matter of time before Harmon could exact his revenge and he will use the lovely Christine Chapel to do what he wants. But first,...he must have her trust. After that it will be left up to the Romulan operatives to do what he needs done. 

“Christine, have you ever thought about leaving StarFleet?” This, he wanted to know,...after what she will do for him,...she’ll have no choice.

“Well yes, after a while,...when I’m ready to retire. I could either do nothing and be a hermit or do something to keep active and I’ll probably do something,” she stopped for a minute and then asked “why?” Harmon took her hand looked deeply into her eyes. 

“Christine, I grow tired of politics and secret deals done in backrooms, endless receptions, negotiations,...I’m tired of it all. I want some peace and time to enjoy it, preferably with a beautiful woman.” Christine’s ego got a major stroke. It’s been a long time that she was told she was beautiful. She thought: *Spock could just about spit out you’re lovely to me and here Harmon is saying it freely. Ohhh, what a delightful difference.* Christine felt like she’d died and gone to heaven. FINALLY, someone who would appreciate her for being a woman and not a lab assistant or a means to an end like Spock did. Well, if what she’s hearing is true about the new Commander, she can have him. Feeling euphoric and starting to get a bit tipsy, she let the Senator “make out” with her hand. 

The senator felt that Christine was an easy target. He knew of her break-up with that half breed Vulcan. Just the thought of Vulcans in general caused the senator to grip her hand just a little too tightly and she promptly pulled her hand away. 

“You were hurting my hand, Harmon.”

“Oh I’m sorry Christine, I forget I have a strong grip. Here’s our dinner let’s enjoy.”

The waiter came with their dinners and they proceeded to have their meal. Christine was so happy, she was finding it hard to sit and eat. Harmon gave her a half smile,...knowing that what he rubbed into her skin would soon take effect. 

oOo

Maggie stepped off the transporter pad, with her shoulder travel bag secured on her right side. Waving to Scotty, she left the transport room and made her way towards the lift and to deck 7. Inside the lift was Dr. McCoy and the Captain on their way to the Captain’s table, where the senior staff have their meals.

“Howdy Bones,...Captain,” said Maggie as she noticed McCoy roll his eyes at her use of the Captain’s nickname for him. 

“What? I like that name, it’s suits you, being called SawBones, what they would call the surgeons during the American Civil War. You should brush up on your history, darlin’. Now,..where y’all headin’?” 

She loved teasing McCoy with her imitation of his Southern accent. Jim stood by and just laughed. He could tell this was going to be an interesting tour. Maggie is an interesting woman and has no fear, but she’s damn good at what she does. She just needs a little polishing. Maggie picked up on the random thought Kirk put out about needing to be polished and was forced to agree with him. She knew she needed to drop the teasing and show the proper respect for her old friends and the new one she just made, and of course the rest of the crew. 

They walked her to her new quarters and she was impressed by the size of the room. When she walked in to drop off her travel bag, she noticed everything was unpacked and put away, including her uniforms. She could also smell the faint scent of Spock’s incense. They usually kept rooms empty that were near Spock’s quarters because of the smell, but Maggie actually liked the savory, sandalwoodsy smell. She immediately upon taking a deep breath could see the painted desert, the Grand Canyon and other deserts of the world she’s been to, not to mention the sunrises and sunsets in the desert at Vulcan.

With bag dropped, the three made their way back to the lift and up to the dining room area. There they found Spock indulging in a vegetarian meal. The other three sat down at the table and ordered their dinners and while waiting, chatted away about things from the past and things of the future. 

All the while Maggie was listening to McCoy and Kirk, she noticed Spock was being very quiet. Not even random thoughts came through, which she found disappointing. Finally, she looked directly at him and thought: *Hello? Anyone home?* Spock slowly looked up from what he was eating and formed a half-smile. *I am home, Marguerite. I am listening to you, the Doctor and the Captain.* Maggie smiled and looked down then looked quickly up to the waiting expressions of the Captain and Dr. McCoy. She chuckled and then decided to ask about why she now saw her two aides in the food line for the crew.

“Why are my two aides still here? Shouldn’t they be leaving to return to campus?” She knew the restrictions that the Academy put on the cadets for extracurricular activities,...and the penalties. 

“Why Maggie, your two aides are part of the inaugural plan supported by the Captain that you proposed,” said the good Doctor. Maggie looked confused. 

“Umm, Leonard,...what plan?”

“The idea you first mentioned to me while packing up earlier this evening,” chimed in Spock. “You said you wished your aides could stay aboard to learn what it’s like to be on a starship. I embellished on the idea that they should serve in the main departments for the short trip to Starbase 24 and back as cadets and have their service and performance count towards their final grades, before going on to Command School or an assignment. It was a logical thought that was put into reality by Captain Kirk and Admiral McNeil of the Academy.”  
Maggie sat at the table, not sure whether to take credit for this idea or not. It was just a random thought for her part, it was Spock who took one step further, cleaned it up, added detail, presented it to the Captain.

“Captain, I have to say I just had an idea, a random thought, it was Captain Spock who finessed the idea into something presentable to you and Admiral McNeil. I really had very little to do with it except to provide two cadets who are already proven good travelers and have been excellent help to me in my “adventures.” It is he who should have the credit.” 

“You both will get collaborative credit.” Jim rolled his eyes and looked at McCoy who was laughing under his breath. Maggie looked at her friend Leonard and kicked him under the table, to which he promptly yelled “HEY!” She stuck her tongue out at him. Spock sat there with steepled fingers observing the play-acting thinking he will never understand humans and their need to “pretend” they do not approve of someone when in fact they are quite fond of them. He raised an eyebrow as Maggie looked at him and smiled her “smile” at Spock. 

“By the way Maggie,” Kirk continued. “Your rank has been reactivated,...feel up to speed to pull a couple of duty watches?” Maggie’s face went from half smile to a huge one. 

“Would that entail a night watch?” Kirk thought she was up to something so he decided to “play along” with his newest Senior Staff Officer.

“Yes, it would.” Maggie’s grin got bigger.

“And would I be able to sit in “the big chair?”

“Yes, Maggie you would.”

“Sign me up,” she said. Kirk said okay, but then thought that was easy,...too easy. 

“Oh Maggie, one more thing,” said Kirk and handed her a PADD. “Here’s a list of musicians in the crew, I think there’s at least 50.” Maggie opened the PADD and looked through the list,...”Hmmm,...Nyota Uhura is a singer, Christine Chapel plays violin. She any good?” 

“Dr. Chapel is an exceptional violinist, Commander. She would add a distinct flavor to your concerts.” Spock, although felt nothing more for the Doctor, felt her talent was worth mentioning. 

“Ok, I will contact her and see if she would like to contribute,...perhaps do solo work with an accompanist.” Maggie made notes on the PADD. McCoy looked a little apprehensive and asked who would be the accompanist. Maggie not looking up from the PADD said calmly, “Me,...don’t worry Doctor, I wouldn’t sabotage part of something I put together. We’re all adults here, I think. Besides, I’m logical choice for accompanist. Who do know who has my skills as a musician?” 

McCoy nonchalantly said, “Spock.” Her eyes slowly turned to Spock who cocked his head while she lifted an eyebrow. 

“You play piano?”

“I play many instruments, one of which happens to be piano.”

“Fascinating,” replied Maggie. “If you play the ka'athyra, you will have my heart and soul.” An imperceptible upward tick of his lips started and he answered her “I do.”


	12. Chapter 12

At first Christine was feeling a little tipsy. Well, she reasoned that was just her getting adjusted to drinking real alcohol again. As she kept chatting with the senator and eating she started to feel a little dizzy,...but again she chalked it up to strong wine. The senator was watching her and continued talking away. She was trying to keep up with the conversation, getting weary by the minute. Christine made a grab for her water glass, missed and spilled it on the table. At this point the senator feigning concern asked if everything was alright with her. 

“I don’t know Harm,...I’m feeling very sick, dizzy suddenly.” She tried to get up and couldn’t because she was too dizzy. 

“Perhaps we should go,” he suggested, knowing full well the drug that was put on his hand without injury to himself had been successfully transferred to its intended victim. The senator called for the waiter and moved to help Christine from her seat. She managed to get up, but could not put one foot in front of the other. She kept thinking that this couldn’t possibly be happening to her and stumbled into the waiting arms of the senator. He quickly placed his arms around her waist, gently and slowly walked her out of the restaurant. By this time, the drug was taking full effect with Christine; her vision now doubled and blurred, she could barely make out where she was, but her training kicked and recognized she had been “slipped a mickey,” as they said back in the 20th century. She finally passed out at the doorway, just in time the senator’s car pulled up and she was gently put into the back of the car with the “concerned” looking senator giving orders for his driver to go to a specific location, not a clinic or hospital, but to a warehouse on the bayfront, by the park. During the ride there, Christine tried to wake herself up two or three times, but to no avail. The drug was too strong and she finally succumbed. 

As the car pulled up to the warehouse, two hooded guards who looked like Vulcans came up to car and opened the door. One bent down and looked in and saw the sleeping Dr. Chapel and then looked over to the Senator. 

“I trust everything has worked out to your expectations?” 

“The drug worked as you predicted, but we have little time. She fought it all the way.” They unloaded the limp doctor and put her in a electro-chair and glided her into the warehouse. 

“Now remember,” said the senator as he was being tied up to look like he was kidnapped as well. “I want her conditioned to respond to my instructions only. She’s to be as normal as ever until I get aboard the Enterprise and am able to speak to her with final instructions. We get this done, I’ll have my way and get the vote for the anti-vulcan piece of legislation by sheer sympathy of love gone wrong for the poor senator. People always love a sad tale of woe.” The senator cruelly laughed watching Christine as the captors put electrodes on her psi points and began the “conditioning.” 

One of the guards took his hood down to reveal that he was not a Vulcan, but a Romulan spy. As he set the machine to recondition the mind of Christine, he briefly touched her face. 

“Pity,” he thought. “Such loveliness to be used for the cause of this trivial and quite frankly naive human. But,...what do the humans say,...his money is as good as mine.”

Once the electrodes were set, he turned on the machine and watched Christine’s face contort,...not in pain, but as if having a nightmare that one could not wake up from.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hours later, Christine awoke with a start. She found herself on the floor next to what she thought was the body of the Senator. Trying to sit up, her head reeled of what she considered a hang-over of momentous proportion and saw through her hazy vision the senator who was just waiting for her senses to return. 

“Harm?” she whispered. “Senator?” she cried out again.

“Chris, are you okay? Did they hurt you? My God, I’ll never forgive myself if they hurt you!”

“No, no,...I’m just,...hung-over,...but my mind is clearing slowly. Are you ok?”

“I’m fine,...but I’m tied up. Can you help me?” Christine crawled over to where the senator was, still unable to stand, but managed to slowly untie the senator. Once his hands were free, he managed the rest, while talking calmly to Christine. She was still very frightened and just did not understand what was going on.

“Harm, just what in the hell is this all about?” Christine was starting to shake and wished to hell she had brought her communicator with her. It would just be an easy beam out.

“Chris, welcome to my world of intrigue, politics, spying, kidnapping,...sounds like a regular spy novel from an old 5 and 10. Still want to be in my world?” 

“As long as we don’t make it a daily routine,...yes I do.” Christine smiled tenderly at him. 

Senator Harmon Wainwright, smiled. He had his willing accomplice. Now to set the trap. And in the background, they could hear the police trying to break through the warehouse from the outside. Apparently, someone noticed movement in the warehouse and notified the police to check it out. It was all so perfect, this little plan of the senator’s,...win the trust and heart of Christine Chapel, drug her, have the two Romulan operatives recondition her mind to accept whatever orders he would give her. So perfect. 

What the Senator didn’t know is that the Romulan who worked on Christine, took pity on her and changed her programming ever so slightly to include a “No Kill barrier.” The only one who could override that was the Romulan programmer and he wasn’t about to. As much as the Senator’s money was a good as anyone else, this woman did not ask to be used in such a horrific manner. Romulans being distant cousins to the Vulcans also respected privacy and this conditioning or as the terrans called it “brainwashing” was an invasion of privacy. So he adjusted for “No Kill,” a small payback for the Senator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can usually get a chapter up in one to two weeks, although this one took me a little longer. Enjoy,...


	13. Shields up,...Yellow Alert!

“You do?” she asked Spock blinking her eyes in a provocative manner. 

“Oh Captain Spock plays a wonderful ka'athyra, Commander,” said Commander Uhura as she walked into the dining area with her plate. Sitting down next to Dr. McCoy, she whispered “what’s this all about?”

Dr. McCoy smiled, leaned back on his chair so he could speak to Uhura quietly. 

“Sit back and watch the show. Let’s see if the Commander can outfox the Vulcan.”

“Fat chance of that happening,...got the popcorn,” said Uhura as she leisurely bit into her dinner. McCoy chuckled and sipped his wine.

“So Captain Spock,...when do you think I could hear you play,” asked Maggie looking hopeful. Spock looked at Maggie and his eyes narrowed. That famous half-smile but not quite a smile appeared on his face and he replied

“I am not sure. I have my duties to perform. Perhaps later.” With that, Spock got up, put his dishes in the disposal, and left.” Maggie watched him as he left and let out a “Huh.”

“Well, that was a short show,” said Uhura looking at McCoy with disappointment. She also got up and put her dishes in the disposal unit.   
“What’s the matter Maggie,” asked McCoy. “Did the Vulcan get your tongue?” Maggie looked at McCoy and was about to let out a small tirade, when a communique came in over the intercom for Captain Kirk. The captain took it and while everyone else was laughing and talking, the Captain’s brow became knitted with concern. He punched off the intercom, turned around and quieted down the staff.

“Quiet everyone, I’ve just been told some news. There’s been a kidnapping and attack of one our own along with Senator Wainwright. We’ve been asked to intervene. Maggie, you have your uniform with you?

“Of course, Captain.” She looked at McCoy, who was already getting up to grab is medkit. 

“Fine. Get it on. You’re on duty as of right now. Meet me in transporter 3, Bones you’re with me.”

“Captain,...” Kirk turned around to face Maggie and she decided not to question him in front of the rest there. She acknowledged her orders and made a beeline for her quarters. Once there, she quickly got out her uniform and put it on, leaving her boots til last. As she was buttoning up her jacket she noticed a vase of three yellow roses on the table near the dining area. A card was leaning up against the vase. She quickly opened it just as the door chime sounded.

“Come!” Spock entered the door and immediately noticed Maggie’s change of attire. She turned around and held the card out to him. 

“You gave me these? They’re beautiful! I wish I had the time to tell you just how beautiful, but I gotta go. Captain’s waiting.”

“What is wrong?” Briefly she told him through telepathy all the necessary information. He nodded and said “Understood. I await your return.” She bolted out the door and then turned around and ran back up and kissed him on the cheek. 

“They really are beautiful.” She stroked his face, then took off towards the lift. Spock with his hands behind his back wanted to touch her face as she did his, but she was quick. *Another time,...Marguerite.* 

Maggie literally flew into transporter room 3. McCoy gave her a tricorder and she hastily crammed the card from the flowers into her vest pocket. 

“What’s that,” questioned McCoy. 

Maggie looked at him and said a card. About that time Spock and the Captain came in, with Kirk jumping up on the transport pad and Spock stood behind the console to beam them down. 

*Take care, Marguerite.* Maggie almost started to giggle with the message Spock sent to her, but chose to nod her head in acknowledgement. 

They beamed down to the coordinates given and found themselves on the Bayfront in the middle of police and EMTs. McCoy spotted a couple of EMTs and after identifying himself as the CMO of the Enterprise, asked where they were treating the injured. The EMTs took him to where Dr. Chapel was, laying on a gurney, clearly not herself. 

“Well Chris, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you laying down on the job.” The Doctor ran his medical tricorder over her and shut it off. “JIM,” he called to his friend over to the gurney. 

“Jim, we’ve gotta get her back up to SickBay. I’m reading traces of a type of drug. I want to get readings off of the Senator as well, to see if he was fed the same thing.” 

“Ok Bones. I’ve got Maggie talking with the detective on duty,...seems she knows him.” Maggie did know the officer on duty and took any and all information down and exchanged as much as she could. Once she was done, she walked over to the captain and Dr. McCoy with the info. She then took a look at Dr. Chapel and thinking that perhaps she would get something different “woman to woman” from her. She bent over Christine and took a medical reading from her own tricorder. McCoy turned around and questioned Maggie what she was doing and with her expression more or less told him to buzz off for a bit. He got the idea and moved off taking the Captain with him.

“Hi,” she said warmly. “I’m Dr. Marguerite Stuart, Christine. How are you feeling?”

“Like I was run over by a hovercraft,” said Christine not recognizing Marguerite at first. “Aren’t you Leonard’s friend from Academy days and didn’t you just transfer in?”

“That’s right. The Captain wanted me along because I have an “in” with the police. I know the lead detective on this case. He was a student of mine at the Academy, who decided there was more to life than zooming around the stars meeting and possibly fighting aliens.” Maggie’s eyes sparkled with amusement as Christine took it all in. “Do you think you can sit up on this gurney?” 

Christine said she would try and did so, but she was still very dizzy. “OHHHhhh, I don’t think I should have moved. Forgive me if I throw up on your uniform.” Maggie smiled and remarked it wouldn’t be the first time someone threw up on it. 

“Do you feel like you have a hangover,” asked Maggie cautiously. She didn’t want to put any ideas in her head. 

“That’s EXACTLY how I feel,...coupled with being seasick,” answered Christine.

“Hmmm,” Maggie was writing this down for McCoy to take a look at later. Then she asked a question she wished she hadn’t. “Think I could ask the Senator the same thing? I want to see what if anything he got.” 

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” said Christine coldly. Maggie turned to her with a look of question on her face. Did she imagine it or was that a chilly and decidedly cold answer to her question. *Shields up, yellow alert,* she thought. But just before she did, she put out feelers to Christine’s mind and was shoved back with a force barrier that felt like someone punched her in the stomach. It was stronger than she’s ever felt and a wave of nausea overtook her. Maggie doubled over grabbing her stomach, falling to her knees and looking over at Christine, who was busy throwing up with her head hanging over the gurney and McCoy holding her head. 

*Oh Lord,....help me,* thought Maggie and in 5 seconds the transporter activated and Spock materialized with an extra medkit that Doctor McCoy asked for earlier. He walked swiftly over to help Maggie stand asking her telepathically *Marguerite, what is wrong?* He held her tightly around the waist and pulled her to him so that she could use his body as a support. 

“I,m not sure,...I think I had an empathic reaction to Christine being sick, but Spock,...did you bond with her?”

A look of surprise washed over Spock’s face. “That was the next step and we did not take it. She left me before bonding could occur.” Spock’s face momentarily went blank, but then he came out of his memory to look into Maggie’s eyes, with a look that could only be described as worry.

“Marguerite,...I promise you,...I did not bond with Christine.” Maggie saw that look in his eyes and took a deep breath and just whispered “I know,...I trust you.”

This was becoming a deeper situation than Maggie was willing to talk about on the streets of San Francisco. She felt an unnatural need to hold him in her arms to calm and soothe his current unbalanced feelings. *Feelings? Oh oh, I shouldn’t be feeling anything of his.* Spock knew he momentarily lost control. He saw Maggie’s look and agreed this needs to be discussed somewhere else, preferably in the privacy of their quarters, but what happened to Christine is first. 

“Captain, do you need me anymore,” asked Maggie finally becoming stable. 

“No, Commander. You and Spock beam up. Conference in my quarters in one hour. BE PROMPT!” 

“Aye, Sir,” answered Maggie. As they beamed away, Maggie was mumbling something about ‘I’ll give you be prompt.’


	14. Shan' hal' lak

Once Maggie and Spock came aboard, she had to sit down on the port. Spock had walked off and then turned around when he saw Maggie had lagged behind. She had grabbed her head and sat, thinking she was about to pass out or be sick. Scotty came out from behind the console and knelt down on one side of her while Spock knelt on the other side. 

“Listen guys, I appreciate the help, but Scotty you have to get back to the console and beam up the Captain and Dr. McCoy and Dr. Chapel on a gurney I think. The Doctor needs to get her to SickBay ASAP.” Scotty and Spock helped her up, just as the Ensign on duty started the beam up,...of the Doctor and the Captain. 

“Damned civilians! They don’t know what the hell they’re doin’, Jim. But the Senator insisted. Jackass!” The Doctor was on one of his tirades on his favorite subject civilian medical care vs. Starfleet. But then he noticed Maggie and rushed up to her after Scotty started yelling at him to pay attention to the patient here. 

“Captain,...I think I need the ministrations,... of the Doctor.” Maggie collapsed in Spock’s arms and without any effort he picked her up and carried her to Sickbay while McCoy followed. The Captain said he would be down there in a while. Spock led the way and once there, he gently put her down on a biobed and then stepped back. All the while this was happening the conversation between the two was quiet and pointed.

*I can’t believe you’re carrying me to Sickbay. Want to cause a scene much?*

*You needed assistance.*

*They have gurneys, Spock.*

*This was easier.*

*Sigh,...*

*I am gratified you are seeing it,...my way.*

It wasn’t that she worried about being carried about the ship. Hell, she was dragged from the caves at Titus IV after an explosion by dissidents left the caves destroyed. In between telling Spock how ridiculous he was,....she liked being ferried around by him. She could feel his very hard muscular body as he cradled her to his chest. As he laid her gently on the bio-bed, she couldn’t help but wonder if he would be as gentle during “the fires.” He looked down and studied her face, not sure if he should answer her query. Finally, he remarked *curious.*

*Why?*

*You ask very odd questions.*

*Oh. It’s because my protection is down and questions are forth coming that I have no right to ask you at all. I ask forgiveness.*

*It is of no consequence.* He gave her feelings of reassurance and comfort, which she accepted, but also knew shouldn’t be felt by her,...there was no bond,...except an empathic one. McCoy however, couldn’t help but see Spock’s look in his eyes and thought to himself ‘oh oh,’ and gave Maggie a hypo-spray of a light tranquilizer, which sent her off to sleep. Looking superior he said to Spock, “Yeah, I know,...just when the conversation was gettin’ interestin’....”

It was a very light tranquilizer he gave Maggie. So light in fact, she started to dream. She dreamt she was back home on her Grandfather’s ranch, where it was nothing but woods and meadows, some streams and all together beautiful landscapes. She came here when she was a child and visited with her grandfather, who had the most peculiar way of speaking to her, just with his mind. She would come with her mother when she had summer break from her own teaching responsibilities and while her husband McKenzie Stuart toured the earth or had an interplanetary concert tour. But in her dream, Maggie was an adult and she was laying in a meadow watching hawks search for prey. She was not alone either. She heard someone in her mind call to her softly and as she turned her face became happy and leaned down to kiss the caller,.....she saw Spock and woke up with a start. 

*Shan’hal’lak.* She thought. The engulfment. “So this is what it feels like,” she said to herself. She looked up and saw Spock, McCoy and Kirk talking among themselves about what had occurred. Watching Spock, she shuttered and thought, *why him? Why not him? The signs were there, the immediate friendship, the wanting to be near him, I feel like I’ve been chosen, yet it's quite logical, but ohhh that kiss, yikes!* Maggie hugged her knees up and she held them as she daydreamed back to that night of his kiss, so caught up in her daydream she neglected to see Spock turn towards her and watch her relive the feelings with an intensity; she closed her eyes and softly moaned,...which got McCoy’s and Kirk’s attention. Spock saw what she was seeing in her mind and said “fascinating.” He immediately hid the self-satisfied look of victory in that the Professor enjoyed his kissing her. His face became deadpan. Maggie opened her eyes and focused on Spock with what McCoy called her “come hither, I want to jump ya” look.

“Well, was it good for you?” asked McCoy.

“Yes,” answered Maggie still staring at Spock, while Spock’s eyes began to darken. 

Kirk hazarded a question “Ya wanna tell us about it?”

Maggie looked at Kirk “NO” and shook her head thus breaking the daydream. “I do want to tell you what I found in Christine’s mind. She has protection around something that’s there. It’s not Vulcan,...it’s why I asked what I asked you, Spock,...to make sure. But the more I think about it, the more I know it wasn’t Vulcan in nature.”

“What do you mean, Maggie it wasn’t Vulcan in nature,” asked Kirk. She thought for a second and then answered. 

“It’s not that it isn’t Vulcan in nature, it wasn’t put there naturally,...but rather by machine.”

“Torture??” asked McCoy. She turned to him and said “No,” as she thought about it, her eyes were looking through an imaginary filing cabinet. “No,...no,...there. 20th century espionage departments called it “brainwashing.” A way to condition the brain covertly in order to accomplish some task. For example, during post WWII, into the late 20th century, “the Cold War” it was called, the U.S.S.R. and various other anti democracy gov’t. had what they called “sleeper agents.” They were agents for the enemy gov’t. whose minds were conditioned to respond by a secret code, a word, a sound whatever the case may be and that would activate the agent to do whatever they were conditioned to do,...a kidnapping, an assassination, blow up the car carrying an Ambassador. A Lot of times, they would use unsuspecting civilians to steal or to find and sell gov’t secrets, and if they were caught, two options: they were either tried as traitors and sentenced to death or they would have a built in bomb in them and they would commit suicide. 

“Good God Maggie, you’re not painting a pretty picture here,” exclaimed Dr. McCoy. 

“Well, here’s another pretty picture,...if this is the case,...we don’t have anyone on this ship who qualified to help her, without getting lost in it. NO Spock! You cannot! Not even your father could undo it. Not even me. You would need a really good healer, or a deprogrammer, or both. There are none better than Vulcans,...except maybe whoever did the work to begin with.”

“Maggie,” said Kirk moving next to the bio-bed, “I don’t mean to question your abilities,...god knows you’ve had my back and Bones’ back with your abilities countless times when we were at school. We’ve always covered and protected each other.”

“And I still do,...I always will,...even you Spock,” she chuckled slightly. “Even you are now under my cloak of protection.” 

“Yes, yes but Maggie,...how do you know this is correct information? Can we trust it?”

Maggie looked at Jim squarely in the eyes. “Granted,...it’s a gut feeling. Something that’s not based in logic, Jim. Let me ask you this. How many times has my gut feeling been wrong.” 

“None Jim,” growled McCoy growing irritated. He knew her better than any of them and she’s never been wrong to date. 

“Bones, I can’t act on a feeling. As far as we know, this is all speculation on Maggie’s part.”

“Which is why my recommendation is to observe and watch and continue to gather data in order to form a cogent hypothesis,” Maggie interrupted. “After all, she’s not threatened any of us, me in particular. She pushed me away and rightfully so. I invaded her space. So it might not be anything. If that’s the case,” she looked at Spock. “If that’s the case, does she have psi-ability?” Spock thought for a moment and shook his head negatively. 

“No, Dr. Chapel is psi-null.” 

“Well there you have it,” said Maggie as she swung her legs over the bio-bed. We’ll watch and take notice and report to you, sound like a plan Jim?” Jim looked at McCoy, McCoy trying to stifle a giggle and finally could not stop himself broke into laughter along with the Captain. The two of them laughing out loud, while Spock explaining that it’s a logical plan, which got them laughing more, confusing Spock and Maggie sitting on the Bio-bed realizing what just occurred, started to chuckle.”

“Maggie,” said Kirk wiping his eyes from laughing so hard. “Why is it every time I have ever called a meeting of some sort and you’re part of, you hijack it and run it your way!”


	15. At Last, Home Run

She smiled and was going to answer in some smart-ass way and cut him down, but this was not the Academy, this was life on a Starship, where a crowd now gathered outside the door waiting to see and hear what would happen. She can’t embarrass him or his senior staff, she cannot be insubordinate and must show a good example.

“Captain,...I believe I owe you an apology. I went over the line and will abide what disciplinary action you feel necessary. I am sorry, Sir.” All three men looked at Maggie and their mouths opened and closed. For Maggie to admit she had overstepped was a miracle,...for her to accept her fate was downright amazing.

“Alright Commander, you did step over the line, however right or wrong it may have been, I need discipline on my ship from everyone, including my senior staff.” Kirk straightened his uniform jacket, walked with his hands behind his back and then turned to face her. “Captain Spock, please escort the Commander to quarters and make sure she stays confined, make sure she eats. I will see you tomorrow morning Commander.”

“Yes Sir.” Spock escorted her out of Sickbay, just as Dr. Chapel was coming in. Chapel looked at the two of them and wondered why the Commander was hanging her head, in shame. 

What no one, not even Spock knew,...this was a ploy,...or as one of the professors back at the Academy would say to the class that she and Jim Kirk attended at Command School,...a “teachable moment.” Maggie daydreamed back to her days of Academy Command School with Jim Kirk in Command Discipline 145 class or learning how to discipline your crew without making them hate or fear you. 

“It’s all about knowing the infraction and how to, like in business discipline the offender and still have them respect you,” Captain Richeleau lectured. “Kirk! You and Stuart and Rodrigues form a team. Kirk will be Captain Rodrigues first officer and Stuart the crewman.” 

Maggie was pissed she was chosen for the role of the offender. Her annoyance was starting to show. This was not the first time Richeleau passed her over and instead sought out male cadets to do a required job. The scenario was that Kirk was told of the infraction and after consideration called the crewman into the private office. But instead of being combative, Maggie remained contrite and said the same words she offered up to the Captain not more than 10 minutes ago. Instead of being angry, she swallowed her anger and apologized. Kirk being fair took that into consideration and instead lessened the punishment. Captain Richeleau was quite frankly stumped that Cadet Stuart would be so compliant, so he called her in. She remembered him asking the reason for her action. She stated that being annoyed solves nothing. Being repentant gets you lighter punishment, something that everyone should be made aware of. You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. Then what she said to Richeleau almost landed her in the brig. She remembered how condescending he was to the female cadets in Command School.

*Jim is going to be a great starship Captain. If I can help him achieve that goal, I will. However, I want to stay here and teach. I’ve already been approached, interviewed, offered and accepted my position at the Academy next year. And that Sir, is your ‘teachable moment.’ Don’t screw with a lady!”

‘You outmaneuvered me,’ said Captain Richeleau, ‘with the skill of a Romulan.’

She shook her head ‘no,...with the skill of a Woman, sir. Everything I did followed a logical pattern, and yes, I did outmaneuver you.*

*A missed opportunity,* Spock thought.

Maggie kept walking down the corridor with Spock and he looked at her, raised an eyebrow and continued down to the lift with her. Once they entered the lift they went to deck 7 and silently walked to her quarters,...or so she thought. Spock stopped at his door and opened it while Maggie looked confused.

“Um,...I don’t live here.” Spock turned, looked at her and offered her the way in.

“You do tonight.”

“Oh??” said Maggie intrigued and curious. She stepped into his quarters as he followed her. The door slid closed and Spock locked the door with instructions for no computer override. Then she got nervous.

“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing? You’re two doors off and I’d like to lay down. If you would just unlock yours?” Spock looked at her went into his bed area and came out with one of his night shirts. 

“You will be staying here tonight. I will see to your nourishment and anything else you may require.”

“You’re kidnapping me.”

“Yes.”

"For what purpose?"

"I am complying with the Captain's orders,...take the Commander to quarters,...he did not specify which quarters,...yours or mine. I chose mine. I can keep an eye on you."

“Spock can’t I go and at least take my uniform off?” He looked at her up and down, mentally undressing her, looked at his nightshirt and tossed it to her. 

“You may put this on,....or not.” 

Maggie looked at him and said “I can’t believe you are treating me like this.” In 2.5 seconds he was across the room standing toe to toe. He grabbed her by her waist and spoke harsh but calmly to her. 

“You cannot look at me with eyes that say ‘I want you’ and not expect a reaction from me! You cannot tease me with Vulcan terms of endearment and expect me not to want to protect you, take care of you! You cannot flirt with me, and expect me not to respond!”

“Well,...you can’t kiss me like you did and not expect me to look at you with “those eyes.” It is illogical, it’s,...” She stopped in mid sentence and looked at him in the eyes, which have now become dark,...dangerously dark. “You’re making a claim,” she whispered. "Are you claiming me as yours?? Spock I,..." 

“I am,” he said softly. He moved into what Maggie thought was to kiss her again, but he suddenly looked into her eyes and they both said at the same time:

“Shan’hal’lak!!”

“Yes!” whispered Spock. “It is very rare for a Vulcan to attain it so quickly with someone he’s just met.”

“Spock, this is more than that. It’s like,....I’ve met the other half of my soul. We are k’ hat’n’dlawa,...k’dwa.” Spock’s face radiated understanding in what she said and closed his eyes, appreciating this knowledge. His arm around her waist drew her closer to him and his other hand went to her psi points and he brushed her lips with his again to her delight sending her the warm feeling of affection and something more,...an almost raw animal feeling of lust and desire that he was desperately trying to keep under control. 

Now,...not many people knew that Spock had a unique sense of humor. It clicked in, knowing his humor would help him to control his desire to rip her clothes off of her and take her there on the floor and as he pulled up from the kiss, with her eyes questioning him,...”we must do experimenting,” he decided as he slowly pulled her to his bedroom. *I want her, I wish to join with her, protect her, she is mine. I must go slowly.* 

“What?? On who???”

“On each other,” he said calmly, still pulling her towards his bedroom. “For compatibility.”

Maggie looked at him like he had two heads then noticed we were slowly inching their way to the bedroom. “Ohhhh, I see. Experiments.”

“Yes.”

“Compatibility in say,...mating practices.”

“Very good Dr. Stuart,” said Spock as he maneuvered her to fall on the bed first.

“And we’re doing this because,” she asked as she took off her jacket and dropped it on the floor and then took her t-shirt off revealing her bra. Her shoulder length hair cascaded to her shoulders as she took the beret out. She watched his eyes darken with desire.

“We’re gathering data in order to form a cogent hypothesis,” he said as he loosened his robe to reveal he was nude. Maggie looked and was,...impressed.

“No pajamas.”

“Never. Not since I was a child." "You are definitely not a child now." His eyes closed and after re-engaging some of his controls, he just simply said "No, I am not a child." 

“My kind of guy.”

“I hope so.”

“Oh, Spock,” Maggie felt him tip her onto his bed and he followed her, “I know so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, there is a place where Maggie is daydreaming about a Command School class. She's projecting that so that Spock will understand that she's being punished, as an example, not because she did anything wrong, (taken from an actual experience in my own schooling).


	16. Grand Slam Home Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to get this out yesterday, but there were too many rewrites. Happy Easter folks! If you don't celebrate then Happy Bunny Day. 
> 
> A word: It's a little porny, but someone mentioned to me that basically Vulcans are a conservative and somewhat repressed society with all that logic around. It all comes out every 7 years. While I wouldn't call them repressed (not by a long shot), I would definitely say they're conservative. (Gotta watch the conservative quiet ones), and my reasoning is that Sarek is a rock-star in the sack,...there's no reason why his son shouldn't be too. :) 
> 
> Mon coeur---(French) my heart. I asked Jean-Luc for translation lol.   
>  “Nam-tor thee alright t'nash-veh wanton kosu---Are you alright my wanton woman.  
>   t’nash-veh wanton kosu.---your wanton woman  
>  Taluhk nash-veh k'dular---I cherish thee. (Honestly, I like that so much better than I love you.)  
> LLAP

As Maggie fell onto his bed, Spock let his robe fall to the floor revealing a rock-hard body, finely tuned, exquisite in design. His uniform did not do him justice she thought as he undid her pants and slowly pulled them down. She lifted her bum so he could pull them off completely and she took off the rest of her clothing and laid there for him to look at and admire. His eyes grew dark, almost black as he laid down next to her. He took her face and tilted it up to his as he began to kiss her human style. Her body naturally arched away from him as he kissed her, plunging his tongue into her mouth as she hungrily accepted and began to suck on it causing him to moan. Her neck was there, extended as he trailed kisses from her mouth to her jaw then her neck, nipping her as he made his way down to the base of her neck and collarbone where he bit down to mark her as his, but not hard enough to hurt or draw blood. She moaned and he uttered a low growl in appreciation.

“Are you always this raw,....this tribal?” She looked at him with her eyes in a slight squint, and then shut them and open again to reveal a desire that Spock had not seen before. 

“You do not like,...” 

“I didn’t say that mon coeur,” she interrupted him putting her finger on his mouth and then traced around his lips. She quickly sat up and straddled him as she leaned down to kiss him softly, look into his extremely dark eyes, thinking to herself how much fun it would be to tie him to the bed posters and then have her way with him. How much could he stand,...As if in answer, he sat up grabbed her and lifted her up so that she sat on or very near his large erection. She casually remarked strong abdominal muscles as she stroked the back of his ears, a place considered an erogenous area for some. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensations she was providing, but he wanted to be back in control. So he pushed her back down on her back and caught her legs up to her chest and bent at her knees, so that she was completely open to him. He looked down at his prize and slowly bent down and breathed warm air over her private area. He then lovingly grabbed her hand and with his fingers began to stroke her there. Having his hand guiding hers in this intimate act was an unbelievable turn on. Him watching her, staring at her with his dark eyes was even more provocative. He brought her hand up and slowly licked her wetness from her fingers. It made her moan. What he did next made her scream. He kissed her on the way down, stopping briefly to suckle and tickle her breasts,...in his mind he thought he would come back to them later and made his way down to the nether regions, slowly blowing soft kisses, nibbling her on her tummy, and finally stop and pause to blow warm air over her clitoris and then proceed to lick, suck, nibble softly and drive Maggie to the point of screaming.  
*Oh my God,* she was panting excitedly. She screamed as he continued his onslaught, carefully making sure she wasn’t being hurt, but being ravished from head to toe.  
“Nam-tor thee alright t'nash-veh wanton kosu,” he asked casually as she squirmed and shuddered with delight. “God, has nothing to do with this,” he countered to her.

“Please,” she begged. “Please, join with me. Put yourself inside me. I need you.” Tears were forming in her eyes as she saw just how exquisite he looked to her.  
He decided to tease her back for all the times she teased him and for all the times she will tease him because she is his. He looked at her and then he grabbed himself and started to stroke.

“You want this?” he asked calmly. His erection was long, full, and hard. Maggie licked her lips in anticipation of “that” beautiful specimen of a male enter into her. She could almost feel it go in, when she got some inspiration. 

“Yes, oh yes Spock.” But she had something else in mind, but for now put the appearance of desire on her face, which wasn’t too hard to do at all. 

He responded, “We have plenty of time for this, K’diwa.”

“Yes,...” she said as she broke free from his grasp. “We have plenty of time.” She flipped herself around and being face to face so to speak with the business part of Spock, proceeded to put his head in her mouth and slowly draw circles with her tongue around it, making him gasp. She then pushed a little further down and sucked on him making noises which he answered with his own groans and grunts. She stopped and he said “Don’t stop” through the panting. She just looked back up at him and whispered 

“Lay down, Captain Spock. I wish to show t’nash-veh wanton kosu.” That’s when she saw him slowly smile and comply with her request. She mounted him so that her head was at his lok and his mouth was near her clitoris. He spread her legs more and dove in with his tongue as she swallowed him as far as she could. He began to pump her mouth as she rubbed herself in his tongue’s embrace. They were both beginning to mount up desire with the need to complete, but Spock was having none of it,...at least not yet. He plunged his tongue into her just at the right time to send her over the edge, which she literally screamed his name and crushed his face trying to get as much feeling as she could. He quickly rolled her over, putting his leg in between hers to spread them farther apart then he put his tip at her entrance and asked her if he could enter her. He was teasing her again. By this time, she was absolutely senseless and meekly nodded but couldn’t quite get the request out of her mouth. He plunged himself into her, relishing in her warmth and slickness. Pulled out just to the tip and burrowed himself in again slowly, driving her mad. Finally, he settled in her and put his hand up to touch her Psi points.

“We will meld and feel each other. I will be in your mind and you in mine.”  
“Spock, I want to bond with you. You don’t have to show me what it’s like to have someone in my mind, I already know. Please,...Spock,...K’diwa.” Tears were now falling from her eyes and he kissed them away.

“Shhh, Marguerite. What has made thee so upset? Let us do things this way, then we will talk about bonding.”

“I don’t want you to change your mind, mon coeur.” Spock looked at her with concern in his eyes. *What could I find that would have me change my mind,* he wondered. He closed his eyes and chanted ‘my mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts,’ and suddenly there he was inside her mind as well as physically inside her. 

//Spock?//

//I am here, beloved.// 

She sighed mentally. // I can feel everything,...you, me,...everything.//

//I am going to move in you now. Taluhk nash-veh k'dular.//

Spock slowly moved inside her, being in her mind was so peaceful and yet so sensual for him. She could feel his satisfaction, his need to love her the way he felt she should be. She discovered that he wanted to bond with her almost immediately, but wanted to get to know her. He knew that their katras were calling to each other. No matter what she may have done in her past that would cause her to think he would change his mind, he would still bond with her. He wanted her. He would protect her, save her from the imaginary monsters that still haunted her. Not that she really did need saving,...she was strong, confident, alluring, beautiful in her mind and body. A little confused at times, but that was back a long time ago, and ohhhhh as Spock growled and moaned she felt sooo good. Just as she was enjoying the feeling of Spock inside of her she kept thinking of taking him in her mouth and sucking on him until couldn’t stand it anymore. Things were getting faster and coming to completion. She could feel him start to get very hard and his urgency was fast approaching a climax as was hers. She tried to hold off, but she couldn’t do it matching him stroke for stroke until they both exploded in mind and in sound their mutual orgasm. He thrust into her violently, growling and howling as she screamed his name until finally spent he collapsed on top of her, she crying tears of joy. This is what she has wanted literally all her life,...to be loved and cared for by one man. This one. And in return, she would be there for his 7 year cycle and save him from his biology. It was for her a small price for unconditional and devoted love. She couldn’t ask for anything better. Vulcans do love, they control it because it’s so intense, we as humans let it run rampant. It didn’t matter though she thought as she felt him pull her close to him as they both drifted off to sleep,...love is love controlled or running rampant.


	17. Chapter 17

Her eyes flashed open and looking around she forgot where she was. As her eyes tried to adjust to her surroundings, she was aware of someone behind her with an arm tucked around her waist holding her tightly against him. She smiled and remembered snatches of the night before. She slowly turned around and faced him to hear him breathing evenly. Maggie replayed in her mind some of last night and projected one particular thing into his mind, where upon he stirred and moaned. His eyes shot open as she whispered “I am here, t’nash-veh wanton kosu” (I am here, your wanton woman), into his ear. 

He growled low and quickly pulled her back down “you are insatiable.” He smiled a smile that he decided would only be for her and in private. 

She laughed softly and said to him “aren’t you,...gratified?”

“Very much so.” She decided to pull a different tack with him.

“I will be gratified when we bond.” On that subject Spock slowly sat up in front of Maggie on the bed and took her hands. 

“Before we bond, I want to know what it is you wanted to tell me, and how it is that you know so much about Vulcan mating rituals.”

Maggie nodded her head and sat up as well, pulling a sheet around her so she could sit cross-legged without giving Spock a “view.”

“First of all, I know your father has requested the Vulcan High Council to look into my background with T’Pau being the go between. He has told me some things already that I knew, which is fine. But he doesn’t know the whole story, no one does, not even me and I know a lot.

“Beloved,” he said in a point of order, “T’Pau is never a go between. She has her own agenda and that is fact.” She nodded her head in agreement with Spock’s assessment.

“When I was little,.. say 4 or 5 years of age, we used to go up to the Adirondacks, to my Grandpa’s ranch and stay for the summer. He has this huge ranch and it’s surrounded by mountains, forests, meadows, streams, animals, all sorts of beautiful things. We would go up while my father was doing yet another long concert schedule all over the world and the Universe it seemed. My Grandpa was more of a father to me than the great McKenzie Stuart. 

When we would go, he would speak to me in mind-speak, like you and I do. We have what Grandpa called a familial bonding, ‘as deep as dirt and just as strong’ he would say. My mother forbade him to encourage me to use my “gifts” as she called them. My older sister constantly called me a freak, so I was very careful and so was Grandpa. But we could trust each other and he would, behind everyone’s back encourage the hell out of me to use my gift. ‘What’s the use of having something if you’re not gonna use it?’ 

“Logical,” said Spock. “Is your Grandfather still alive.”

“Oh yes, and he doesn’t look a day over 100, since he’s 164. He has a fit body, although the last time I spoke to him he was getting over a cold about two weeks ago. I talked to him about all this other stuff that’s been going on. I never do anything without chatting with him, just to keep him up to date. He even knows about you,...said I needed a good Vulcan male to keep me in line. He may be right.” Spock raised his eyebrow and said “I know he’s right. What is your grandfather’s name.”

“He says it’s Terrell, but I know his name is T’relek.”

“That is Vulcan. There was a Captain T’relek who was part of the V’tosh ka’tur. Vulcans without logic, they didn’t reject Surok’s teachings, just interpretation. He captained the ship of V’tosh ka’tur that were banished from Vulcan.” 

“Well, now that’s interesting. I met a friend of his once years ago,...a young guy, a Vulcan. He could tell a good joke and laughed with the best of them. His name,....was,....Sybok.

“You are sure,” asked Spock.

“Yeah, I remember him very well. He was so nice to me, he was so funny. His name is Sybok,...why?

“I believe you met my older brother.”

“You’re kiddin’”

“Vulcans do not kid.”

“No,...but they’re pretty damn good in the sack.” A raised eyebrow ensues.

“What is the sack?” Maggie started laughing again.

“You’re pretty damn good in bed.”

“I was unaware you were judging me.”

“No, how could I judge you when we were doing experiments on mating habits and you’ve got some wild mating habits.”

“Indeed.” He grabbed her and laid her on the bed and proceeded to cover her with his body. She squealed with laughter,...about the same time they heard banging on his door.

“Spock! Is everything alright? Are you okay? Where’s Maggie. She’s not in her quarters. Spock!!” Kirk was pounding on his door. He called Scotty to override the lock on the door. Meanwhile Spock looked at Maggie with eyes wide open. They scrambled off the bed. He found his robe and put it on then found the nightshirt and threw it at Maggie. It fortunately covered everything important and came down mid thigh. She made the bed look presentable. While Spock calmly called for his voice authorization of the lock to the door. It opened and Kirk rushed in along with McCoy and Ambassador Sarek and Lady Amanda. 

Now Kirk and McCoy were no big deal. There were plenty of times when they found themselves in a similar situation, in some cases with one or two ladies, but they had the unbroken “friend” code of “I got your back.” Today would be no exception. 

“Spock!” barked Sarek. “Explain.” Spock felt like he was back in his teen years and being reprimanded for doing something outlandish. Maggie had her hand over her mouth, trying to hide her laughter, but of course Kirk and McCoy seeing she was in his nightshirt, although a little surprised knew exactly what happened and quite frankly didn’t realize Spock had it in him. She walked over to Kirk and whispered “he sure does.” But what happened next will probably go down in the history books. He answered the Ambassador.

“We were conducting experiments in mating behaviors,” Spock answered.

“Commendable.” said the Ambassador, in a straight face, but with amusement in his eyes.

“I thought so,” said Maggie who started giggling uncontrollably. 

Amanda took one look and knew her son had finally found the right woman. She looked directly into Maggie’s eyes and then turned around and leaned up against the outside hall laughing hysterically. Sarek nonplussed went to his wife and then suggested they retire to the concert hall where there were rehearsals going on and perhaps when Spock was done experimenting he and Dr. Stuart could join them there. They turned and left with the echo of Amanda laughing heartily as they made their way to the lift.

“Mating behaviors,” questioned McCoy. “It smells like hot monkey sex in here.”

“Leonard,...Vulcans aren’t descended from apes, we are,” said Maggie shaking her head.

“Still smells like sex in here. I can’t leave you alone for 12 hours and you’re,...”

“Be careful Doctor,” said Spock becoming slightly irritated with his friend. “You’re chastising my wife.”

McCoy and Kirk spoke at the same time: “Your what??”

“We chose to take each other as husband and wife. We bonded.”

“Oh,” said Kirk. Kirk looked at McCoy questioning and McCoy shrugged his shoulders. “Congratulations are in order I think. We’ll leave now,...I’ll see you on the bridge and you at your rehearsal?” They both nodded affirmative. Both men left and Spock re-engaged the lock.”

“I think we shocked them.” 

“It is of no matter. Please come and sit down.” Maggie sat down on the bed as did Spock and faced each other. He found her Psi points and said softly “Are you ready, k’diwa?” She nodded. He began the bonding words and Maggie found her mind become a warm golden color. In her mind, she also recited the bonding words,...//’Parted from me, but never parted,...Never and always touching, and touched,...’// She was aware of memories both good and bad coming to her from Spock as well as she sending him the same. He was so impressed with the layers of beauty her mind possessed, her strength of will and her love for him. She also felt his feelings and found at times it was almost too much to bear as he always felt so alone and lonely in his quest to find a mate after the disaster of T’pring. Then another disaster with Christine Chapel and how sad he felt to the overwhelming joy in having found Marguerite. They shared each other's memories, the trials and tribulations of adolescence,...everything. Slowly, he took his hand away and Maggie felt and heard the hum of two minds becoming one. "It is done," said Spock. Her joy was so great her tears were streaming down her face. Spock thought he had hurt her in some way. What was first an empathic bond, deepened into a very strong marital bond. A bond that was unbreakable until forcibly taken out or one of them dies. 

// Have I hurt thee my cherished one?//

“No,...I’m so happy.” //I will save your life every 7 years. I will go through the fires with you and we will burn together, I will quench thee and deliver thee so that thee might live. This I promise thee, my beloved. I will never leave thee.//

Spock was so moved by her vow, he took her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist at her pulse point. Maggie heard the strong thrum of the bond and felt such comfort and warmth there.

// I will protect thee, care for thee, thank thee every day for my life, keep thee safe from all harm. I will never leave thee. And when I burn for thee and only thee, my life will be saved. I am yours and you are mine.//

Maggie cried big tears of joy. Spock reached up and wiped her tears away. 

“You are very emotional, K’diwa.”

“Comes with the territory, I guess.” Then she burst out laughing and looked at Spock. “I can’t believe you said experimenting mating behaviors to your father and mother. She was hysterical with laughter and your father was the perfect “straight man.”  
“The ambassador was well aware of what went on in these quarters. He also knows that Vulcan males have a tendency to require more than the usual amounts of sex and it is indeed a rarity to find someone who actually can keep up with them.”

“You mean keep up stroke for stroke?” she asked innocently.

“Indeed, Marguerite and as much as would like to test that theory again, we do have duties.”

“True,...but Spock where shall we live and sleep?” 

“Marguerite we have a 2 bdrm, 2 bathroom separated apartment, with a place for meditation, work and play and plenty of closet space. What else would you like?”

She thought for a moment, then as she grabbed her uniform and said just as long as you are here and here,...that is all I need.” She pointed to her heart and her head. He smiled that special smile reserved for her eyes only.


	18. Chapter 18

Kirk and McCoy slowly walked back through the corridor to the lift not saying much. Once in the lift, Kirk said “Bridge” and then “hold” to the lift.

“Bones, they’re married? What am I missing here?” Kirk stood in the carrier trying to understand what Spock said.

“Jim, as near as I can figure, they performed the marriage bonding ritual without all the blood fever and mating crazies that Vulcan males get every 7 years.” 

“Jim, I’ve known Maggie a little longer and more intimately than you have.”

“Well, I won’t tell Spock that,...he’ll think of you as a rival,” Kirk chuckled. 

“Not like that Jim. She’s a sister to me. But Spock taking her as his wife is perfect for her and for him. They balance each other. Maybe she’ll be a little calmer and he’ll get a sense of humor.” Kirk had to admit,...Bones was right on that. He resumed the lift and both pondered what was last said. The door opened to the bridge, both looked at each other and said “Nahhh.”  
oooOooo

Doctor Chapel was in tears. At first she was in shock. News of the Vulcan-Human bonding between Spock and Maggie had started to leak out and she just said “that’s nice and that’s wonderful.” But in her heart of hearts she had hoped he would come back to her and everything would be alright again,...at least that’s what her conditioned brain was told to think. The Romulan who implanted the conditioning into her psyche had strict orders to make sure she thought Spock would come back to her and to be angry when he didn’t. Oh not at Spock, angry at Maggie Stuart for taking her love away from her. She had implanted bogus situations, dates and memories that never took place, but would cause her anguish, but most of all anger. Christine sat in her quarters sobbing when she heard her door chime sound. Rushing to the door in the hopes it might have been Spock, her face took a downward spiral when she saw Nyota Uhura on the other side of the threshold. 

“Come on Christine,” said Nyota as she wrapped her arms around her close friend. “Girl, you gotta let it go. He’s made his choice.”

“But I wanted him to come back. He would have come back,...I know it.” Christine was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. “We shared so much,...and he’s sharing NOTHING with her. He barely knows her. Oh what is wrong with me.” Christine was wringing her hands in despair. She turned around and faced Commander Uhura. “She took him from me and she’s gonna pay.” Her voice became cold and vindictive. Nyota was really worried about her friend. 

“Christine! Pull yourself together. Listen to yourself. That’s not you. Look Spock has moved on and made a choice. You did too. You left him, not the other way around. Now you’re dating a Federation Senator,...a good looking one too. Think about that. Stop living in the past and look forward. 

It was as if a switch clicked on or off. She pulled herself together and like none of this happened, she wiped her eyes and of course blew her nose. 

“Nyota, good God, what is wrong with me? I can’t believe I said what I said. Of course, he moved on and I did too. You know,...do you think Leonard would have some time for me, to talk?”

“Of course he would, you’re his colleague. And Christine,...don’t be angry with Spock or Commander Stuart. Be happy he is at least happy,...or whatever he is,...what satisfied?” Nyota desperately wanted her friend to see some sense in all of this. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to right now. Maybe a transfer off the ship would help. She didn’t know, but Nyota at least would see that her friend talked with Dr. McCoy and get the closure she needed. Meanwhile,...the time bomb within Christine’s conditioning was ticking down.

oooOooo

Maggie took a shower and let the water just wash over her. Grabbing some shower gel, she soaped herself all over and then stood underneath the shower again. She washed her hair and then turned off the shower and grabbed a towel  
and dried off and wrapped her hair up in it. Stepping out of the shower, she noticed a uniform jacket neatly laying over some seating and a tall Vulcan waiting for her with a cup of coffee. There was also a plate of fruit and and oatmeal, which Maggie liked. Maggie took the coffee and sipped it carefully. “Mmm, that’s good. Thank you Spock.” 

“Thank you for my continued existence, K’diwa.”

“You are welcome.” She sat there sipping her coffee and munching on fruit. She had an introspective look about her, deep in thought. He noticed. 

//What is wrong beloved.// She looked into Spock’s brown eyes and answered him, // I’m not sure. Something.//

“I do know however,” she got up and put her arms around Spock and hugged him and kissed his ears. You make me very, very happy.” Spock who was sitting at her table reached up and held her hands. “I am gratified, K’diwa.”  
He pulled her around and placed her in his lap while he kissed her deeply. She pulled back and leaned her head on his shoulder while he held her for a moment of complete quiet contemplation. Finally she sighed and said:

“We gotta go on duty. I gotta get dressed, and I need to meet your parents in the concert hall.” Maggie got up and proceeded to drop her towel and put her clothing on, a fresh uniform and drying her hair to soft gray curls pulled into a ponytail. She checked her uniform and his, seeing that all was in order, both left her quarters and walked down the corridor to the lift. Once in the lift, he offered her two fingers and she reciprocated and smiled as they touched and felt the spreading warmth of their bond. 

Maggie left the lift first promising she would see him later and playfully patting him on the behind. The lift doors shut with Spock smiling that special smile of his for her and shaking his head. She smiled and turned walking towards SickBay. She needed to talk to her friend.

“Doctor McCoy? Where you at,” she yelled. “Yo! Leonard, where you at?”  
“I’m right behind you,” he said quietly. He walked over and sat down at his desk and motioned for her to do the same.

“Now you want to tell me what this is all about?”

“There’s nothing to tell really.” Leonard wasn’t buying it, so he crossed his arms over his chest and said “uh huh.” She huffed a sigh and then decided to tell him what was in her heart.

“Have you ever wanted something so badly, you do anything for it, only to have it denied because you’re different or somebody’s daughter, or any myriad of reasons? I have always wanted to be a historian, an archaeologist, but most of all, I’ve just wanted to be accepted and loved for who and what I am. I have you and Jim, your friendships I treasure and I will always have your backs, even now. I also have for lack of a word because Vulcans don’t have a phrase for it, a husband, or I will have. We’re a little bit more than engaged, but not man and wife yet,...legally.”

“Honey,...do you know what a bondmate is? Do you know what you have to do every 7 years of his adult life?”

“Yes, I do, but do you understand? I have his life to take, or give back to him every 7 years, and for that he takes care of me, he sees to any of my needs. It seems a small price to pay. How many people do you know that have that kind of relationship? Come on Leonard you’re an “old school” southern gentleman in your heart of hearts; you understand this better than Jim, or anybody. Although I have always suspected that Jim has worn the mask command too long. He’s too schooled to reveal his true self,...but I’ll always have his back, just like I have yours and just like I have my Vulcan’s.” Maggie got up and walked around and turned to say, “He makes me happy, Leonard.” Tears were forming in her eyes. “Everyone has a right to be happy,....even Vulcans.” Leonard got up and put his arms around Maggie and hugged her.  
“Hey, I’m not gonna get on his “list” because I hugged you am I?”

“No, Leonard. You’re not gonna get on his list. She looked at her chrono and saw the time. She was late.  
“Oh brother! I’ve got to get to the concert hall and sit down with the Ambassador and his wife. I am so behind, but I’ve been consciously putting it off. I don’t know what to say to them after this morning.”

“This morning was illuminating,...to say the least,” said the resonant voice of Sarek. Maggie’s eyes shot wide open and she silently mouthed a curse word to Leonard, who now had his hand over his mouth trying to hide his laughter. Amanda and Sarek came into the room and stood watching Maggie’s obvious discomfort. 

“I ask forgiveness, Ambassador, Lady Amanda. We were,...unaware of the time.” 

“Indeed,” answered the Ambassador, his mouth ticking upward ever so slightly. He looked at his wife and nodded his head. Amanda came right over and took Maggie’s hands into hers. 

“Marguerite,” said Amanda. 

“Please, just Maggie.”

“Never just Maggie. We heard every word you said. You honor this clan by choosing to say yes to our son. We are so pleased to have you, daughter. The Vulcan way has no “in-laws.” When you marry into a clan, you become our daughter as Spock is our son and he has chosen so well.” Maggie smiled at Amanda and as she looked up to Sarek, she couldn’t help but see the great affection he had for his wife. He knew he had made the right choice to have Amanda welcome her into the family. 

“You will call me Sa-mekh and Ko-mekh for Amanda.”

“Thank you Sa-mekh. Do you have time to come to the concert hall? I have to get things going down there and it will give us someplace to talk.” 

“That is acceptable,....Maggie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw, you might have noticed I changed the "mind-speak" parts to reflect as // blah, blah, blah//. It looks better rather than **


	19. Chapter 19

After thanking Doctor McCoy for seeing the Ambassador for a follow-up visit, to see how he was feeling, the three left Sickbay and proceeded to the lift to take them to the concert hall. 

Maggie always loved music. She grew up in a house that was constantly filled with the likes of famous composers, conductors, musical artists of all kinds, all wanting her father to appear with their orchestra, or play a concert somewhere, so they could heap tons of praise to her father’s already over inflated ego. At least that’s how it appeared to Maggie as a precocious child. She also had the musical “gift” as well and her father had high hopes of her following him in his footsteps, but no. Her grandfather had steered her towards the stars and Starfleet. Her mother Magda would constantly write to tell of her father’s latest escapades with Maggie in the fields of the Adirondacks in the middle of the night to chart stars, what they were, where they were moving to, to what constellation did they belong to. Maggie however, always wanting the praise of her father would take her findings and compose music to go along with the information. She presented some of the pieces at the conservatory she attended and was awarded their highest student honor and encouraged her to pursue a career in music, but she said no, it wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted Starfleet. 

Her mother didn’t want her for Starfleet either. Magda Stuart was a professor of ancient Greek philosophies and ancient English literature. She wanted Maggie to follow her into teaching. So,...Maggie won a compromise. She got into UC Berkeley and while attending school there, she secretly applied to the Academy and won a place with them, had her credits transferred to the Academy and went on from there. When her parents found out what she had done, they threatened to cut off her funding. What they didn’t know is that her Grandfather intervened and paid for the rest of her undergraduate degrees. From there she was on her own and she flourished, taking Masters and Doctorates in ancient earth history, and archaeology, and nailing a teaching professorship at the Academy. She paid her grandfather back in credits, but she could never repay his kindness and his nurturing of her spirit to pursue what she wanted to do,...including he hoped someone to be with, someone who would take care of her and guide her. She had a temper that would flair up now and then,...her grandfather attributed it to her Scottish heritage because it definitely wasn’t from his side. It wasn’t,....logical.

oooOooo

As the Commander and her new family entered the hall there were three groups of musicians rehearsing, their parts while Maggie’s aides William and Terri kept watch on the time. Once William saw that Maggie was there, he stopped the rehearsals and asked for them to form up to an orchestra. The two aides came to Maggie with their PADDs and as Maggie inspected their itineraries, she asked questions as to why pick this, are you allowing for the “bell curve” as she called it for musicianship. Satisfied that all was in great shape, she signed off on their PADDs. 

“Very good William and Terri. May I introduce you Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan and his wife the Lady Amanda.” The two made the traditional ta’al and in unison said the greeting. Sarek nodded his head and answered in kind and then asked Maggie if they might sit in the back corner table to talk, which they started to head towards. 

“You are an interesting person, Maggie,” Sarek began. “You also have an interesting grandfather,...T’relek is his name?”

Maggie’s face became a mask. She would refuse to reveal any emotion in this conversation,...especially when it came to her grandfather. 

“Do not fear me, Maggie. I do not wish you or your family harm. In fact, I have wished your grandfather well.”

“You did? You have? When?”

“Oh, about an hour and a half to two hours ago,” said a new voice, but very familiar to Maggie. She turned to see a tall gray-haired older man with deep hazel eyes and blue robes of Vulcan clan Sidak. His hands were withered with arthritis, but he still held them out to his grandchild.

“Grandpa? What are you doing here?” Spock, McCoy and Kirk also came into the hall expecting an emotional eruption of great magnitude from Maggie, but none came. 

“Get ready for Hurricane Maggie, about to sweep in,” remarked Dr. McCoy.

“Not this time, Doctor,” answered Spock. He was sending her calm through the bond and it was working it’s internal magic on her psyche. He continued on to be by the side of Maggie in case his calm was not well received. Kirk and McCoy hung back and watched this family reunion such as it is to add any explanations of why Captain T’relek was there.

T’relek embraced his granddaughter, much to the astonishment of Sarek. Amanda through their bond reminded Sarek that T’relek is using the human way of greeting. He nodded his head and suggested they move off so that they might have privacy. 

“Let me look at you my beloved child,” said T’relek as he held out her hands. “You look different than on a console.” Maggie laughed at her grandfather. 

“Of course, Grandfather.” She smiled and offered him a seat and he sat, still holding her hand. 

“You haven’t answered my question Grandpa.”.

“I cannot come out to visit my grandchild who has been reassigned to the Starship Enterprise? Who also happens to be heading to Starbase 24 with various Ambassadors, councilmen and Senators for an interplanetary conference to discuss among other things the reunification of V’tosh ka’tur to their home planet Vulcan? And when I get here, I see my childhood friend Sarek is here with his wife and he tells me of the bonding between his son and my grandchild? When were you going to tell me?” His eyes showed amusement and affection for Maggie. Maggie looked down and then looked at Sarek, Amanda and Spock. They came forward and sat as well. 

“This is Spock,” he asked. Spock came up and stood by his bondmate.

“I am, Sir.” Maggie looked up at Spock and smiled. 

“Still keeping secrets, Marguerite, even from your grandfather?” 

“I barely had the chance to get on a console, grandpa.”

“Yes, I was made aware of that, child. Really,...Marguerite tsk tsk tsk, such manners.” Marguerite really thought her grandfather was annoyed at her behavior with Spock, but Amanda had caught the elder man’s humor and rolled her eyes. He was teasing her. 

“Sarek, I don’t know where she gets this precociousness towards the um,...how shall I say,...casualness. It certainly wasn’t from my family.”

“Indeed,” replied Sarek recalling his old friend’s exploits as a young man,...before he had to leave Vulcan with his family. His eyes showed great amusement. 

“Well,” said T’relek “Maybe a little bit,” he said with as little a smile as he could, not wanting to offend his friend.

//Marguerite, your grandfather is teasing you.//

// I know Spock,....now.// 

Maggie got up and asked William to resume the rehearsal as she wanted to visit with everyone there, Dr. McCoy and Kirk seeing that there was no further need for them decided to leave things be and left to go have some lunch. But in another corner was someone else who was watching the family scene unravel. Dr. Chapel sitting in the opposite corner of the room was seething. This lovely family scene should have been she and Spock, not this upstart, this freak of nature. HOW DARE SHE, she screamed in her head. Then a thought came to her mind from the conditioning that was implanted in her. 

//I just need to get rid of her that’s all. But how?// she thought. She would have to think of something quick. They’re starting to pick up the Ambassadors and Senators.   
//I will find a way to get rid of her,...perhaps Harmon Wainwright will help me.//

oooOooo

The rest of the day was a pleasant time for all. Although Maggie had to stay relatively calm, she couldn’t help but feel there was someone on the ship who wasn’t himself. It was as if their thoughts were of a violent nature, but not of their doing. She immediately thought of Dr. Chapel as the culprit,...but every time she spoke with her she was fine. Maggie had scheduled a rehearsal with her and she performed beautifully, her mind focused on her music, doing a superlative job on the piece of music she chose. But still,...she couldn’t nail down the random violent thoughts she was picking up. Unwilling to dwell on the problem, she shielded her mind except for her bond and went to work in Archaeology, and with the help of an unexpected aide by the name of Grandpa, managed to correlate and categorize the various relics of previous away team activities of the past 2 years. 

“You have saved me a lot of work, Grandpa. I admit, I have much to still get used to. I had the students do this stuff for me. I would just sit around and supervise. Maybe it’s better that I go back to the beginning and do the things I relegated to students,...relearn the craft, so to speak. What do you think?”

“I think you don’t need me to advise you as to how to run your lab, my child.” T’relek got up and walked around her office and looked at some of her artifacts with hands behind his back. He stopped and looked at her and said to her “What is it you want to ask me? I know there is something that is troubling you.” Maggie took a deep breath and let it go with a puff. He knew her so well. 

“Grandpa, why? Why didn’t you tell me you were Vulcan?”

“Just as I tease you about keeping secrets,...I have secrets of my own. That was one of them. I came to Terra long ago, took a wife and had a child,...your mother, who married your father an up and coming musician who was very ambitious who had two daughters, one was 100% terran, one was not. That is all there is to tell, my child.”

Maggie knew there was more, but he would tell her when he felt it was time to. He got up and excused himself, knowing that soon she would be going to her quarters and to her mate. Maggie looked at her chrono and saw she was running late as usual, but no matter. She wasn’t coming back to an empty quarters. But before she could go, another visitor stopped by.

“Amanda! Sarek is allowing out on your own,” Maggie asked with a touch of amusement in her voice.

“Yes, daughter,...but only because I was coming here to visit with you and,...he and Spock are in the middle of the chess match of the ages.” Maggie laughed. “Do you play chess, Maggie,” asked Amanda. 

“I do,...but not as well as Spock. Just a lack of playing time, I think.”

“I will come to the point, Maggie. Sarek and I would like you and Spock to have end-meal with us, along with your Grandfather. Will you come?” Amanda looked expectantly at her new daughter.

“If duties allow, I’m sure we would be honored to come.” Maggie started to chuckle as she was receiving the same invitation from Spock through their bond.  
“We will be there Amanda. I’ve just gotten a message “from beyond.”

Amanda looked at Maggie at first questioning her words and then understood she meant the bond. “Don’t worry, dear,...you’ll get used to the bond. I find it infinitely helpful when I need to find Sarek or vice versa.”

“Oh that doesn’t bother me,” said Maggie as she and Amanda left Archaeology and made their way towards the lift arm in arm, saying hello to various crewmen.  
“I’ve had someone in my head or me picking up random thoughts from others. That’s how we met Spock and I.”

“Really, I thought he came to your home with Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy,” said Amanda. 

“He did. I just picked up on a random thought of his and told him about it. He was,...caught off guard.”

Amanda looked ahead as they got off the lift and noticed the three Vulcans Sarek, Spock and Maggie’s grandfather having conversation with other Ambassadors. Once they made their way to them, the other Ambassadors took their leave and left the family alone to enjoy each other’s company and then later their end meal. For the meal, Spock walked her through Vulcan manners at the table as to who served who. Once done they ate in silence. Maggie thought of the many end meals taken at her Grandfather’s with her older sister chattering incessantly as if in defiance to her Grandfather’s wishes. She always rolled her eyes and shook her head towards her sister. She thought //thank god her sister wasn’t there.//

Once end meal was over, the conversation picked up with an emphasis on reunification of V’tosh ka’tur to the home world. 

“What I don’t understand,...” said Maggie, “is why these Vulcan citizens were banished to begin with. It certainly does not give a good example of IDIC in the least.” The silence was so thick you could cut it with a knife. 

“What? I wish to understand. On Earth, we have had our fair share of racism and religious bullying. Terrans excel at this. I just don’t understand how the superior Vulcan mind can be so,...qom’i”

“Kroikah!” said T’relek. 

 

“Grandfather, I will not stand by and let,...and let,....Maggie grabbed her head and screamed “GET OUT OF MY HEAD!”


	20. Extra Innings

It was as if someone was lighting the inside of her head on fire, while stabbing her. Someone was trying to break her bond with Spock, with everything and everyone she knows and loves, to leave her as a shell of nothing. The pain was torture. She screamed as she fell to the floor, holding her head. Spock immediately called for medical emergency in the Vulcan Ambassador’s quarters. Sarek called for his aide and for his healer. McCoy got there first along with the Captain. They both figured it was Sarek and were shocked when they saw Maggie convulsing on the floor. McCoy dropped to the floor and ran his tricorder over her. 

“Jim, there’s nothing I can do. Whatever it is, it’s invading her mind. I have no medical experience with this.” He looked up at Sarek. “Did you bring one of your healers with you?” At that point, Soran and his wife who was also Sarek’s healer at the Embassy swept into the room. Upon seeing Maggie still writhing on the floor, T’Riva immediately took control of the situation.

“Can you do sight to sight transport? Please take me and the patient to your Sickbay.” 

Kirk immediately called for the transport and saw T’Riva, Maggie and McCoy disappear to reappear in the sickbay. The rest of them made their way there. Once they reappeared in SickBay, McCoy along with an attendant lifted Maggie onto a Biobed. T’Riva accessed her Psi points and went into her mind and just as quickly went out of it. 

“She is being attacked by a mind probe of great sophistication. I can remove it, but she  
needs to be sedated first. Can you do that Doctor?” 

“Coming right up,” said McCoy. He got a hypospray ready and shot it into her neck and she immediately relaxed and slept. People were coming into the SickBay, but the Doctor would only let the Captain, Spock and her Grandfather in and even then Spock stayed by her side.

“Spock you’re gonna have to wait in the other room. The healer needs room to work and with me here and you too, she won’t have a chance.”

“Doctor, I realize this is your place, but she is my wife and I will stay with her. She’s fighting whatever is attacking her and she will need my strength.” McCoy showing some compassion told Spock to stand on the other side of the room, but let the healer do her work. So Spock kept his vigil and obeyed the Doctor. But all that time, he was conveying to his father questions and posing his theories to him. Sarek in turn relayed information to his aide and friend Soran as well as T’relek as to what they needed to do next. 

T’Riva accessed Maggie’s Psi points and went into her mind again, but this time stayed there and began to unravel what was attacking her bond with Spock. It was as if someone had erected or started to erect a brick wall surrounding the bond so that it would literally suffocate and die within the mind, leaving it shattered and un-repairable. But T’Riva noticed that there was a way out of this, to undo the damage and the mind would repair itself. So, T’Riva set about taking down the barrier. While the healer was undoing the damage, she noticed far off a humming sound of the bond. The more mental bricks she removed and took out, the louder and stronger the sound became. Finally she removed the last of the barrier and the hum of the bond burst forth very solid and strong. T’Riva slowly left Maggie’s mind and broke off the healing meld with her, leaving with a sleeping suggestion and peace. 

“It is done, Spock, Dr. McCoy. She is resting peacefully now. However, I do recommend she be beamed to her quarters so that her bondmate may take care of her. For a human, she has an extremely ordered mind, highly organized.” T’Riva went to the outer room to explain all that was done and her prognosis. 

“She will be fine, T’sai. I have removed all traces of the attack and the bond is very strong. It,...hums. I have suggested that she and her bondmate be transported back to their quarters so that he may continue the care.”

“Your work is commendable, Healer,” said Sarek.

“I come to serve, Ambassador.” She bowed slightly and then went to her husband’s side. 

“Captain Kirk,” the Ambassador called. “I would speak with you,...alone.” Kirk excused himself from Doctor McCoy and Spock to converse with the Ambassador. T’relek was going to leave as well when he was stopped by Sarek.  
“Stay my old friend, this concerns you as well.” The three men moved to being outside of SickBay to talk. 

“Captain, I believe you have an assassin on board. Further, I believe it is one of the crew, one Christine Chapel. I do not believe however she is in her right mind. She is being manipulated by someone on this ship. Until we find the puppet master, Commander Stuart is in grave danger. My son can take care of her, but he can’t be with her all the time with his duties on the ship. We must track this person down before he or she can do any more damage to my daughter.”

“Sarek, we will do all that we can, but we have the safety of those dignitaries who are on board ship and to get you safely to Starbase 24. I think it would be,...” Dr. McCoy came out and asked if everyone would come in, Maggie was awake. 

Maggie woke up looking at Sickbay and then looked to the left to see the dark brooding worried eyes of Spock. She smiled and then looked right to see Dr. McCoy taking readings off the board. 

//T’ hy’ la//, she spoke to Spock through the bond. She sent waves of love and warmth to him. Spock looked at Maggie and a small uptick of his mouth was noticed by her. He came over and offered two fingers of ozh‘esta, which she reciprocated. The bond opened and feelings of affection ran between them. 

“I must apologize to your father and my grandfather. I was such an ass. You don’t ask questions like I did at the dinner table. I embarrassed Sarek and Grandfather and I am so ashamed.”

“You were not yourself, daughter,” said Sarek as he Amanda and T’relek came in. “The mind probe was manipulating you to ask questions you would have asked in a more business like setting, not at end meal. Logically, because of the manipulation, you were not aware of what you were doing. Therefore, no offense was taken where none was given.”

“Thank God, for logic.” Maggie said looking at McCoy. There were times she wished she had a mental bond with the good Doctor, just so she could make her acerbic remarks to a willing audience. Her grandfather however, didn’t miss the double meaning and gave her a warning look, in which she nodded and took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. 

“Well,...”said McCoy looking at Maggie. “I’m gonna release ya into your bondmate’s care. That means you gotta do what Spock says.” Maggie looked at McCoy and began to smile her seductive smile and said softly “of course.”She swung her legs around and over the biobed 

“However, if you want to catch the “Puppet Master” I need to be not so guarded. In other words, you must let me go about doing my daily routines as if nothing happened. I would concentrate on Senator Wainwright as he has already tried to destroy me with the Academy. He is seeing Dr. Chapel and since she has this conditioning in her head, it would be wise to watch her as well. In the meantime, I believe I have a date with my quarters and some quiet time. Will you all excuse me?” 

Maggie jumped off the bed and looked at everyone as if waiting to be dismissed. Finally, Dr. McCoy threw up his hands and said “Go in Peace,” to which she bowed to everyone in the room and followed Spock out of Sickbay. 

Maggie’s grandfather looked after her and shook his head. “She will never change. Feisty until the bitter end.” He smiled and looked at his old friend Sarek. “I hope Spock knows what he has.”

“Indeed, T’relek,” said Sarek as he offered ozh ’esta to Amanda. “He has a pearl of great price.”

oooOooo

The pearl literally ran her way down the corridor and into the lift with Spock following her. Once in the lift, they both said Deck 7. The doors opened with Spock and Maggie walking side by side and silently towards their quarters.

“Marguerite, please go to your quarters, I will be there momentarily and,...get comfortable.”

Maggie teased “Does that mean I take my uniform off,...or do you take it off for me.” Spock immediately sent her a message of being “wanton” even after being attacked through their bond. She laughed. She also noticed his eyes were getting dark brown with desire. She went into her quarters and saw in the middle of the table a dozen yellow roses in a vase. The place had been cleaned and neatened up. She thought having a bondmate had it’s advantages, but for now she would leave things as they are. Eventually, she would take over some of the chores of keeping the place tidy. She took off her uniform jacket and pants and hung them up, tossed her black t-shirt into the laundry recycler. Undid her hair and let it fall to her shoulders and then thought a nice hot shower would be appropriate. So stripping off the rest of her clothes she jumped into the shower and turned it on. The steam was building and she just stood with her eyes closed and her head under the spray. 

Spock had returned in his robe and heard the shower running, so he went into the bathroom and watched his bondmate in the shower with an overwhelming need to touch her very clearly felt. His desire grew as he took his robe off and opened the door and stepped in. She opened her eyes to see her K’diwa in front of her, getting wet with the spray. She wanted to kiss him, but he shook his head no and said silently to turn around. He then took shampoo and proceeded to wash her hair. She sighed. This was heaven. She loved having her hair washed,...especially like this. He began to wash the rest of her body, paying particular attention to her breasts and then as he made his way down to her private area, her crack and her anus, soaping up everything then taking the shower head and rinsing her off, causing Maggie to moan by touching her. All the while he was sending her his feelings to her, the ones he kept carefully under control that he would let her experience. At times it would be overwhelming for her, but he would pull back,...much against her desire to feel him, to know what he was feeling. Finally, it got to the point where he caused her to cry out in joy with tears in her eyes, knowing how much he cared for her, how long he has waited he believes for her and her alone that everyone else was as he later called “rehearsal” for the grand symphony they were going to produce. He turned off the shower and opened the door to retrieve a towel that he wrapped her in, and one he wrapped around his waist. He then carefully picked her up and carried her to their bedroom, where he had taken the time to light candles and healing incense. She was so overwhelmed by his caring she caressed his face and whispered “my Beloved” to him. He looked into her eyes and then kissed her and laid her on the bed gently and followed her in where he pulled a sheet over them and held her to him.

“Is this the healing that T’riva was speaking of, Captain,” Maggie gently teased.

“I do not know,” said Spock as he brought one of her hands up to his mouth and sucked each of her fingers bringing on a small gasp. “I know this is what you need and shall provide it to you.”

“But what about you?” Maggie didn’t want this to be one-sided.

And eyebrow goes up. “I am gratified to know that I please you with my touch.”

“Just gratified, Spock?” She removed the towel and straddled his waist naked and watched his eyes go coal black with desire. 

Ic do not believe you like my natural proclivity to “raw and tribal.” 

“Spock,” she said as she ripped his towel off of him to reveal a growing erection that she.purposely sat on so that it flattened on his stomach and she proceeded to rub with her opening as she was getting wetter by the minute. “I love raw and tribal. I love your sexuality.” Her eyes were getting glassy and she leaned down to kiss him her tongue traced his mouth which he opened to allow her tongue inside. 

“Growl, na' me t'nash-veh k'diwa.” And he did. He growled like an animal in heat, and without warning he pushed his lok into her as she was sitting on him. She began to ride him, doing her own dance, a lap dance of beauty, swaying and swirling left and right. At one point, her arms went up her hands going through her hair as he watched this beautiful spectacle, never taking his eyes off of her face. Finally, he brought her down a little and attached his mouth to one of her nipples and began to nurse her. She moaned and started to pump him harder. 

“T’hy’la,’said Spock with a growl in his voice. “Get up and turn around. Let me enter you  
from behind.” She smiled that seductive smile of hers. She did as he asked and he re-entered her from behind, holding her breasts as he pumped. She leaned her head back onto his shoulder as they were both getting close. He bit down on her shoulder and marked her which sent her screaming for more. He pushed her to the bed still inside her “doggy-style” and started to pump violently into her. They both climaxed at the same time. He yelled at the top of his lungs the feeling was so huge, especially with the bond in place. Maggie was yelling obscenities in French, her favorite language. When they were spent, they collapsed on the bed with Maggie underneath Spock. He rolled off her, turned her over and re-entered her. He wasn’t done. And as he took her again he spoke to her with something he never allowed himself to feel,...emotion, but just this once. 

“I will NEVER let them take you from me,” he said vehemently. “You are mine! T’nash veh!! I,...love,...you.” He came again, this time he cried out and fell on top of her as his seed pumped into her. Maggie realized this was something he could not just say,...it was something he truly felt. She wrapped her arms around him and cuddled him as she could feel wetness from his eyes. He cried. 

“Spock,” she said caressing his face. “I love you, too. No one will take me away from you and if that were to happen I would find a way back to you my beloved. As long as our bond hums together, we are together.” 

Spock looked at her and was about to ask forgiveness for the emotional outburst. She stopped him and said “Don’t you dare ask for forgiveness. You have honored me by your words, you’ve honored this bond, this relationship. There is nothing to forgive. It is between you and I, as it should be. What we do, we do to please ourselves and no one else. They don’t need to know my husband is a stud in bed.” She smiled and kissed him on the nose.  
“Nor do they need to know that I am a whore in bed either.”

“You are not a whore. You like sex. It is logical for you to seek out a mate who can fill your needs, wants and desires.”

“Yes, and the fact you love me is bonus points.”

“Bonus points?” Spock looked confused.

Maggie smiled. “Yes, it’s the cherry on top of the icing on the cake.” Spock thought for a minute and then acknowledged. “Yes, I do understand. I do like cherries,” he said smiling his “smile” for Maggie. 

“Yes, you do my husband,” she chuckled as she snuggled next to him. “Speaking of which,...do we have anything to eat? I’m starved.” Spock looked at her with a invitation in his eye, and she replied “NOURISHMENT SPOCK!” Spock continued to look at her.  
“Indeed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, it's a little porny again, but what's a girl to do with a Vulcan who is definitely hot and has a bondmate who loves who he is and what he is,...you know a "Rock Star." Maggie has told me to get a move on and tell the story, but I like to develop all the subplots as best as I can. An assassin? Christine? Who knew?? It's going to start to get a little rocky so bear with me. The good Doctor says he's got some good drinkin' stuff if you need it. Figures the CMO is also the best bartender in starfleet. lol


	21. Chapter 21

Spock had thought of just about everything for the care and healing of his beloved. As he was getting things to put into their room, he thought about how fate had intervened so many times in his life, mostly for the good,...even for the bad as he chose to sacrifice himself for the crew of the Enterprise. Afterall, all he had to live for was his deep friendship with Jim and Leonard and inasmuch as it hurt to see Jim in tears as his life was ebbing away, he wouldn’t have changed anything,...well maybe who held his katra, if only to spare Leonard from any pain having his spirit contained within his brain. Going through it again, it was the logical choice at the time, although Jim would have been the better one. He sighed,...no use crying over spilt milk as his mother would say. But then none of this,... this amazing friendship and bonding would have occurred if it wasn’t for his mother mentioning a report on the latest archaeological findings of a Dr. Marguerite Stuart in a communication from her to him as they were coming into port. He remembered his mother was particularly unhappy with Christine breaking off everything and just leaving without a word. But that was two years ago,...human mothers however want to see their children happy and again quoting her ‘you have had your share of heartache my son, it is time for you to seek a wife, someone who will be kind to you and love you.’ He smiled his half-smile at the thought of his mother’s words. He had no intention of looking for another woman. He had enough of women who pined for him only to be needy in reality. He was also tired of the virginal ingenues he would find on various planets they would visit, who would look longingly at him and he did admit one in particular attracted like no other, she would never have survived Pon Farr. No, what he wanted he didn’t think existed,...a woman who was independent in spirit and mind, but alluring to him in her own way, someone as he thought of the woman he bonded with who was beautiful and wanton, but kind and caring. He found this and many other qualities in Maggie in such a short time of knowing her. 

He got up to find his robe, which he donned and then went to her closet and found her own robe which he put on her as she rose from bed. He suggested that they have a light repast of some fruit with a tea that would make her a little sleepy. This sounded alright to her and so she sat at the table munching on various fruit slices and Spock brought the tea to her in a mug and they both sat and munched and contemplated in happy silence. 

Maggie put her mug down and stared off into some dimension of time and space, where it didn’t matter what was thought. But to her it mattered, it mattered greatly. 

“Spock?”

“I am here, Beloved.”

“My life,” she started. “My life is full,...where before it was only half-full. There was something missing.” Spock continued to listen as he sipped his tea. “It is not logical for someone like me to be alone. Even in a classroom full of cadets, waiting with baited breath to hear me lecture on some damn artifact, my life was not as full as it should have been. There were no possibilities to continue to grow,...to love,....to become me.”

“I would not say that Marguerite,” said Spock putting his mug down and taking her hand and pairing his two fingers with hers, letting his feelings of warmth and comfort flow through the bond. “There are always possibilities. We just need the wisdom and logic to see them. You could not see yourself in a life with a mate. Perhaps you thought having a mate would be limiting and you would be right,...if you had bound yourself to the wrong one. But when our katras call to each other, when we attain “Shan-ha-lak,” and when a woman pleads to bond with the one she knows is hers, you opened the door for so many possibilities for yourself and for us. I am honored that you would, K’diwa.” Maggie smiled and set her mug down. She got up and stretched and then walking to the bedroom, she crooked her finger at Spock to follow, which after a raised eyebrow, he got up and followed her to the bedroom where she commanded the computer to lower the lights down and she got back into bed along with Spock and curling next to him, kissed his chin goodnight as he embraced her and nestled himself next to her. 

oooOooo

The next day proved to be a busy one. Maggie jumped into the sonic shower quickly and jumped out, got dressed and noticed Spock was not there. //Probably on the bridge,// she thought. She grabbed a PADD that had some coding to finish up the holodeck program she designed and headed there by way of the officer’s dining room. There she found the senior staff minus Spock and the Captain with Doctor McCoy holding court. 

“Well, there you are Maggie,” said McCoy as he tossed her an orange. She caught it and sat down and started peeling. “How are ya feelin’, darlin” said McCoy heavy on the southern accent.

“Well, just fine, Doctor,” replied Maggie also heavy with a southern accent. “I understand just about all the dignitaries are on board,” Maggie continued eating her orange and then grabbing a corn muffin. “It must feel like a cruise ship sometimes with all the VIPs aboard.”

“I’ll say,”said Commander Uhura sitting down with a cup of coffee. “Did you sleep well, Commander,” she asked of Maggie with a twinkle in her eye. 

“Honey, I slept like a rock. I was very comfortable.” She saw Spock and the Captain walk in and acknowledged them both. Maggie got up, still had half of the corn muffin and offered it to Spock which he took a bite of and nodded his head in approval while chewing. “Well, gotta attend to my project in the holodeck. It’s an after hours club from about 2400 to 03 or 0400. Then it goes back to a holodeck and whoever wants to use it, can use it. My gift to us all; for this mission will be unusually taxing I think and we all need a break. So I made an after-hours club ala New Orleans. There Leonard, never say I didn’t give you anything.”

“Hey, this isn’t that bar we happened to find when we went to Mardi-Gras,”queried McCoy hoping it was. He had fond memories of that bar and who he was with. 

“Are you thinking about the one that I purposely lost you and found my way back to the hotel ALONE, while you had a private party in your room?” McCoy leaned back on his chair and looked up and said “Yeees, both girls were very nice.” Everybody at the table broke out in laughter and patting McCoy on the back with a “I didn’t know you had it in ya,” everyone except Spock who was looking at Maggie with a question in his eyes.

// No, Spock I locked myself in my room and didn’t come out until Leonard knocked on my door in the middle of the afternoon the next day.// she said through the bond.

//I know K’diwa, I sense the Doctor’s honesty in that regard as well as yours.// he replied.

“Yes, it’s the same bar and no I didn’t program those girls into the bar scene, just the musicians and now I’m leaving to make sure I did my usual excellent job. Adieu.” She left the dining room and got to the lift to go to the floor of the holodeck, which used to be called the Rec Room. There she saw Scotty finishing up the workings of the deck. She said hi to her engineering friend and proceeded to finish up her coding and calculations to push into the computer programming. Scotty looked over her shoulder as she pushed in and asked him if it seemed okay to him and he answered. “Aye, you won’t find out until you activate the program to work out the bugs.” She looked and said “Aye, Scotty.”

“Computer activate, program New Orleans Bar, around 1 am.” The holodeck produced a bar with tables and chairs and of course a bar and a small stage. “Add a trio and an upright piano, a microphone that’s live, a bartender.” The computer added a drummer, sax and guitarist. The piano was empty and the bartender said ‘hey y’all what can I getcha.’ “Perfect, but change the sax to bass viol player and play jazz/blues. What do you think, Scotty? Can I make a cherry pie or what?”

“Aye Lass, that cha can. I hope he knows what he has in you.” 

“Who the Captain,” said Maggie innocently. 

“You know who I mean,” said Scotty with a serious expression. Maggie smiled softly.

“Perhaps you should ask me if I know what I have in him.” Scotty gave her a look that was asking of her. She answered “I most certainly do. Computer, save and end program.”


	22. Chapter 22

Maggie was on her way to the concert hall, again to finish up any rehearsals, anyone with a case of the nerves, anyone who just wanted to talk. She was very surprised that so many of the crew were musically inclined and werehappy to do their part with small concerts featuring quartets, quintets, trios, small groups, and the one huge concert towards the end of their journey to Starbase 24. So far, the only thing she is doing is accompanying Dr. Chapel with her selection on the piano. She was going to conduct, but to her delight William her aide former stepped up took command of the orchestra, organized rehearsals and in short made it his own. 

//Well done, William,// she thought. As she turned the corridor and entered the hall, she saw Dr. Chapel waiting for her along with Senator Wainwright. 

//Well Maggie, be nice, put on your best behavior.// She squared her shoulders and marched in.  
“Dr. Chapel, are you ready for the final run over for the Rondo Capriccioso?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be. Commander, do you know Senator Wainwright.”

“I know him, but we’ve not met in person,” said Maggie extending her hand. “Dr. Maggie Stuart.” Maggie was trying to be as friendly as felt she could, but she didn’t trust the Senator. 

“You still call yourself Dr? I thought Christine called you Commander,” he said as he leered at her. Maggie held her own.

“I am a Commander, but I am also a Phd in two fields, that never changes,” she fired back.

“But you’re not a Professor anymore,” the Senator reminded her. 

“No, there’s not a classroom here, everyone knows their job and does it beautifully.” A stare down started between she and the Senator, when Spock appeared and came to Maggie’s side. Maggie broke the eye contact to look at Spock, who had his game face on.

“I believe you know my fiance? Captain Spock?” Spock nodded his head, hands behind his back. The Senator nodded back.

“Fiance?” questioned Dr. Chapel. “So you’re not bonded?” she asked. 

“No Christine,” he said. "We are a bonded couple, make no mistake on that. We would like the Captain to perform a ceremony to marry us, but on Vulcan it is merely a formality. Under Vulcan law, we are already married.” 

Maggie felt the ice forming on her husband with the chilly and cold answers he gave Christine. So she quickly changed the subject to the rehearsal to which the Senator sat down and Spock stood nearby, while they started the rehearsal. It went off flawlessly, Christine playing particularly aggressive towards the end. When they ended, Maggie jumped up and hugged Christine, stating that was tremendous playing and that she should pick up the forcefulness at the end as it changes the piece from a period to an exclamation point. 

“You’re telling the world you are here and you are not only a doctor, you’re a very fine musician. I like that,” Maggie encouraged. 

“So do I, Christine,” said Senator Wainwright. He whisked her to the floor and whispered something to her and then kissed her. She said that they were going to grab something to eat and that the rehearsal was a success. Maggie nodded her head and watched them leave the concert hall. Spock came up to her.

// I do not trust that man, Spock.//

//Neither do I, k’diwa. It is why I came here, I sensed your nervousness.//

“I really need to brush up on my Vulcan,” said Maggie changing the subject. Spock raised an eyebrow and then with amusement in his eyes said to Maggie:

“I fail to see why you would wish to improve,...I understand you completely when we are in bed.” He then walked away with his half smile intact. Maggie looked at him with her mouth open and her face turning red. She shook her head and giggled to herself. 

The rest of the day passed without incident. This time with dress uniforms on, the senior staff had dinner with the Vulcan Ambassador, his wife and Maggie’s grandfather. As Maggie was putting her dress jacket on, she noticed that Spock was putting on robes of his family. They were a medium brown in color with the runes of family embroidered into the fabric. She turned around seeing his reflection and it seemed that Spock had a royal bearing to his posture. He was always ramrod straight, but now he took on a role that lifted his head a little higher,...like that of a prince. She smiled slightly as she put on black uniform pants along with her boots. She was checking herself in the mirror, when Spock came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back and felt the warmth of his body emanating through his robes. She turned around and put her hands up on his chest.

“You look incredibly handsome K’diwa. You are wearing your family robes for dinner?” 

“Yes, it was a request of my father’s. A show of force, so to speak to other ambassadors and to certain Federation Senators.” Maggie chuckled. 

“Wainwright got your goat didn’t he,” she asked.

“Got my goat,”queried Spock. 

Maggie sighed, “He annoyed you.” Spock put his hands in front of him in sort of a mandarin appearance. 

“Yes, you would be correct in your assessment. He got my goat.” 

“Well my love, I am glad you are on my side,” she said as she broke his hands open and encircled herself with his hands.

“I would be on your side if we weren’t bonded as your friend and as your fellow officer.” He leaned over and kissed Maggie softly at first, then she opened her mouth to deepen the kiss. She broke it off and said “If we keep this up you know where we will be?

 

“Spock thought for a moment and then said, “To quote the good Doctor, we would be in the doghouse.” 

“Precisely,” said Maggie. “Let’s go.” 

“I believe I would prefer being in the doghouse.” Maggie looked at Spock and whispered, “Later. Then you will have me all to yourself and you can do what you will with me.”

“And there are always possibilities in that regard,” said Spock with a stoic look and slight up-tic of his mouth. Maggie rolled her eyes and laughed out loud. 

The dinner went well at the Captain’s table. Varieties of food was brought forth and all were sampled, save the Vulcans who preferred the vegetarian dishes. Out of respect Maggie ate vegetarian, although when she was alone or not with Spock she had meat. But she was getting used to eating fruits and veg nuts and grains and maintaining protein in various ways. The way that she waited to be served by Spock was a puzzlement to McCoy who leaned over and asked why. She quickly explained that’s what a bonded couple does. The male serves the female out of his respect for her and all she does for him. That is also why he will walk ahead of her as an act of protection not because of what humans think is a chauvinistic throw back to how we as humans treated our females. Maggie then made the observation that human males could learn a lot from Vulcan males on how to treat their wives. Amanda jumped in to correct her on not saying anything more, but Maggie diplomatically stated “it’s not the why,...it’s that the behavior becomes a reality which could be construed as just common sense for a human male, something that sometimes they lack.” That got a laugh from the table with the exception of the Vulcans who raised their eyebrows with eyes twinkling with amusement. 

“Commander Stuart, how is the music coming,” asked Captain Kirk. Maggie wanted to shrug her shoulders and say search me, but she launched into a report.

“Captain, it’s coming along very well. I could tell you it was all due to my diligent planning,but I would be telling a tall tale. My two former aides William and Terry this week have taken the music over, organized everyone into various small concerts with the one huge concert just before we dock at Starbase 24, featuring a 100 piece symphony orchestra sprinkled with soloists. The only rehearsing I’ve done is with Dr. Chapel and she is going to be exquisite. I will be accompanying her on piano.”

“And what will you be playing for a solo, Maggie,” asked Dr. McCoy. 

“I haven’t decided yet.” 

“You could sing,” said her grandfather quietly. Maggie looked up at him and mouthed the word //sing?//

//The Dvorak Opera Rusalka - Song to the Moon. I’m sure your Vulcan prince would appreciate it.//

//With the orchestra,...but I would have to do a translation to standard. I don’t think Andorians would understand Czech.//

//Correct, my child.//

“Thank you, Grandfather.” He nodded to her. She looked around and saw people looking at her. “Oh I’m sorry,....when I was a child my grandfather and I would “mind-speak” with each other at the dinner table a lot, much to the despair and anger of my parents.” 

Sarek said “Explain.” 

“Well, my father sought very hard to keep my “gift” under wraps. I was not allowed to use telepathy at all. But my grandfather and I would go behind his back and talk to each other all the time in “mind-speak mode. I always felt that Dad was ashamed of me, but I later found out he just didn’t want anyone to know one of his children was in his view, “less than perfect.” But that was Dad, ego before family.” Right after that comment, there was an awkward silence. Maggie realizing she put her foot in her mouth, calmly wiped her mouth and then got up. 

“It seems I’m a rather poor conversationalist tonight, please excuse me and no,...” she said to Spock who was getting up as well, “I would rather be alone with my thoughts.” She left the dining hall, but just before she said to her grandfather, //grandpa, I need a walk in your woods.// He waited about 5 minutes and then got up and said he was going after her. Spock immediately got up and said that was his responsibility. 

“Spock, I’m not interfering with your bond, but she doesn’t want to be found by anyone, not even me. I’ve seen her get into these moods and she’d take a walk into the woods and be gone the night and wouldn’t return until morning. If she got lost, she would ask the animals and they would point the way.” Spock looked at her grandfather and he shrugged his shoulders. “That’s not from my side of the family, that’s from her father’s. You see, she’s a Scot and her father’s family or clan were very spiritual, celtic, worshiped the Goddess.”

“Aye,” said Scotty. “I grew up with family like that. I had a great aunt that worshiped the “old ways.” She had touch telemetry. You could put something in her hands and she’d tell all the about the people who touched the object.” And yes, she was a priestess, she could talk to the animals. Telepathy was a walk in the park.” 

“Well you can discuss this all you want, I’m going to find her in the Arboretum,” said Amanda. “Sarek, you will stay. Dr. McCoy, will you show me the way?”

“I’d be delighted, Ma’am,” said McCoy offering Amanda an arm. Sarek looked at Amanda and she said to him through their bond.

//Be not troubled my Adun,...I am going to find our daughter.//

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've gotten a question as to why Spock is practically human in this particular story. Honestly, it is how I see Spock,...he is no longer the "fresh faced" hunk of a science officer/first officer of the Enterprise, but a mature male who has literally been to hell and back. I believe he has learned to incorporate his humanity to compliment his Vulcan side. In "Reunification," he never really gives Data a straight answer to his question about having regrets in pursuing a life in logic,...because his life is not based in logic, but a marriage of logic and humanity. In this way, he has found himself a perfect mate in Marguerite Stuart, a woman of emotional and physical needs (well they both have physical needs, lol), who keeps just enough of her crazy to offset his desire to be OOOOH sooo Vulcan.


	23. Chapter 23

Dr. McCoy led the way to the arboretum and then pointed Amanda to the door and that if she needed anything, just call him at SickBay or get Maggie to use the intercom to call Spock. She laughed and said Sarek already knows what deck and where she is and is taking the slow way towards her as is Spock. 

“They don’t leave their women alone much, do they,” asked McCoy.

“When we travel, we’re always together, but this is a special occasion and Spock,...well, newlyweds,...I will say no more.” At that point, McCoy grinned and said “Ma’am,” and took his leave. Amanda went into the arboretum and found Maggie looking out at the space dock and just thinking. Hearing footfalls behind her, Maggie called out to what she thought was Spock.

“I don’t seem to be scoring any bonus points with your family tonight, Spock.”

“Oh, I don’t know, it seems to me you’re doing pretty good. I love you, and Sarek has great respect for you.”

“I thought you were Spock,” said Maggie wiping tears from her eyes. 

“Nope, just his mother and yours too,” said Amanda wiping Maggie’s tears with her fingers. 

“You really take this daughter thing seriously,” asked Maggie. 

“Spock chose so very well, so yes, we take it very seriously.” Maggie turned away from Amanda walked away, sighed and then came back to her.

“I just have such a sense of foreboding. Something awful is going to happen and I don’t dare tell Spock.”

“Why?” Amanda became concerned for her daughter and grabbed her hand. Maggie looked at her and smiled.

“Did my grandfather tell you about my “walks in the woods to clear my head?” Amanda nodded. “ On my Mother’s side you have this recessive Vulcan gene, but on my father’s side, we are Scots and we have high priestesses, witches, all sorts of Macbeth type of stuff. I’m magic.” Maggie started to laugh.

“Well,...,” said Amanda with a twinkle in her eye, “you’re a real example of IDIC in my opinion.”

Maggie stopped laughing and looked at her with the biggest grin on her face. “OH MY WORD! That is so funny.” She busted out laughing and at that point so did Amanda. Sarek and Spock were waiting outside for the right moment to come in and heard the laughter, looked at each other and proceeded to walk into the arboretum to find the women doubled over with laughter. Maggie saw Spock and tried to stop laughing but couldn’t quite manage it. Amanda had a little more experience in that department slowly stopped and offered two fingers to Sarek who extended his to hers. 

“Thank you Ko-mekh. You’ve helped me lighten my load.”

“You are most welcome daughter and,....tell him, don’t hide it.”

“I will.” Maggie watched as Sarek and Amanda took their leave, while Spock watched Maggie with questioning eyes.

“Tell me what, Beloved,” said Spock.

“That I am a little afraid. I’m so afraid that Wainwright is going to do something to me that will prove detrimental to the ship, to you, our family, my family.”

“Marguerite, it will not happen, we will not let it happen. We do not even know if he is responsible for Dr. Chapel’s conditioning.”

“Spock, I KNOW. Don’t ask me how, but I know.” Spock looked at her with eyes of not sure he was believing what she was saying.

“Grandpa told you about my father’s side of the family, Amanda told me. Surely that counts for something.”

“It does, but I need and the Captain needs more proof than your feelings. Do you understand my K’diwa?” She nodded her head.

“I am so glad I am with you. I don’t think I could deal with this too well alone.” Spock took her arm and led her out of the arboretum.

“You will never be alone. Come. Let’s go to quarters, take these clothes off,...” “and get naked?” she interrupted? “Yes, so that I may do this,...” and he whispered in her ear what he would like to do to her,...”so that you,...” he whispered again, causing her to blush bright red and her eyes widen. She looked at him and said Spock would get an A+ for creativity. Then she broke his grip and said “Race ya.” She hit the lift and watched the doors close as she saw his eyes turn dark brown and a small smile formed on his lips. He knew the shortcuts to their quarters. And when she got to there, she didn’t know which door she should go to, his or hers,...the door of his opened and a hand grabbed her and pulled her in, in front of crewmembers. They also heard her scream with laughter and then quiet. They looked at each other and continued doing what they were doing,...with smiles on their faces. 

Inside quarters, Maggie was pushed up against a wall while being nuzzled and kissed by Spock, who had already taken his family robes off and folded them neatly over the back of a chair. He held her hands tightly, but not to hurt her and turned his head to tell the computer to lock the door with no security override. Then he slowly with his one hand undid her jacket and while kissing her, took the jacket off of her and tossed it on the table. There was a growing need developing in him and she loved the fact that she could unleash his darker, creative side that she nicknamed his “pleasure palace” side. He then started to nuzzle her neck whispering the things he would start to do to her and she smiled in anticipation, but then broke free of his grip.

“You cannot leave, Marguerite,” said Spock as he slowly stalked her as if she were his prey. “I have made sure no one can leave or get in,” he growled with a predatory look in his eyes. “You are mine.”

“And you are mine,” she said breathlessly as she kicked off her boots and then dropped her pants and took them off. He crossed the room quickly and was upon her taking off her t-shirt to expose her breasts within a bra. He nearly ripped the bra off of her,...he did her panties. He picked her up and with her head leaning on his shoulder took her to the bedroom, and the lights went off. 

It was 0430 when she woke up to the eyes of her bondmate. Soft brown eyes that continually stared at her and when focused in, saw that he was indeed asleep with eyes open. She couldn’t resist bringing her hand up to his face and rub his skin and feel the beginnings of morning stubble. His eyes closed and then opened, awake, moved his face so that he could kiss her palm. 

“It is the day of departure from spacedock.” She sat up and stretched, but Spock pulled her back down and laid on top of her. 

“Not from this spacedock.” He had his half smile on and proceeded to nuzzle her neck at the base. She smiled and chuckled, wrapped her arms around him.

“More modifications, Captain?” His hands slowly moved down her body to caress her soft thighs and as he also moved down kissing and licking her, pausing to flick her nipples with his tongue causing her to arch, he looked up at her and satisfied with her reaction continued his downward journey until he reached her clitoris.

“I am checking your fluids, Madam,” he calmly said as he looked at her like an animal starving for water at a watering hole. She started to laugh and then moaned as Spock dove into her, unleashing his tongue to taste and lap up her delicious wetness. She loved when he did this to her, he was very adept and oh,...so persistent. She thrashed around moaning and calling his name, at one point thrusting into his face, causing him to pause while he stuck two fingers into her and watched her as she went wild with desire. She was grabbing the sheets with her fists as he continued. “Cum for me, Marguerite,” he said softly as he continued to insert his fingers and occasionally lick her. She began to moan and yell in French and he said a little louder “Cum,...now Marguerite!” She did,...loudly, bucking against his face, screaming French obscenities to the four walls. And when he was satisfied with her, he crawled back up to her face and kissed her with her wetness still on his face. He pushed into her again with his lok and completely filled her and thrust deeply into her watching her face respond with what could only be described as ecstasy coming from her. She quickly wrapped her legs around his waist and commanded him to pump her full of his seed, which he complied, wondering where it all came from as he thought he was exhausted, but male Vulcan physiology quickly responds. It was later on that Maggie remembered that they shared their thoughts while engaged in sex, which made the feelings that much more ambiguous. She then thought as she rested that every human female should have sex at least once with a Vulcan, even if it was a mind-melding and not a full bonding. She heard Spock laughing in her mind. She opened her eyes again to see her Vulcan smiling with his eyes. 

“Everything check out all right, Captain,” she asked again.

“Everything is fine, T’ hy’ la. But we must get up or we will be late for breakfast and duty.”

“Oh? I will blame you of course, if the Captain should ask,...I will tell him you had to check out my fluids.” Spock looked at her with a face of concern.

“You would not do that,” as he got up to head to the bathroom.

“No,” said Maggie with a sigh and then as she swished into the bathroom with her hips moving seductively, "just as I wouldn’t tell your father that we were conducting research into compatible mating rituals.” She laughed as she turned on the shower and invited Spock to shower with her. He half smiled and stepped in, thinking to himself he will never get enough of this woman he has claimed for his own.


	24. Chapter 24

They both reported first to breakfast, where he once again served her before himself. As they sat down and ate breakfast, Maggie noted McCoy and Captain Kirk was looking at the couple. She decided to tackle any questions.

“Something on your minds, Gentlemen?” she asked as she stabbed a piece of melon.  
Kirk and McCoy looked at each other and McCoy fired the first salvo. 

“I understand there was a race last night,” said Leonard looking directly at Maggie. She ate her melon and said “yes.” She chewed a little and then swallowing the food added, “I lost.”

“Oh, Maggie,” replied Kirk. “I’ve never known you to lose a race, a game, a bet, a challenge. Yet you lost this.”

“Yes,” she replied. Spock just sat there eating breakfast inwardly satisfied because of Maggie’s answers. She got up and bused her dishes and sat down again. Spock took his dishes and whispered “well done, K’diwa. See you on the bridge.”

“I could have won,...," she continued, "I could have done a sight to sight transport, but that would have been an abuse. If I’m going to win, I want to do it honestly and really gentlemen,...remember what I said at the dinner table last night about human males learning something about how to treat their mates or girlfriends from Vulcan males?” She paused for effect,...”I rest my case.” She left the table, with those who were there , mouths were caught half open, she paused and looked back at Leonard and blew him a kiss and laughed. 

Maggie made her way to the lift and once there called “Bridge.” She didn’t know why she was to report to the bridge as she wasn’t bridge crew, but Jim Kirk wanted her there. The lift opened and there was the bridge and there were ambassadors there on the bridge and of course the Senator with Dr. Chapel. Maggie made the rounds, saying hello to those she knew. How terribly unlike Jim to have all these unauthorized people on the bridge. She nodded a warm greeting to Amanda and Sarek. Another lift door opened and the Captain with Dr. McCoy and Scotty stepped onto the deck of the bridge. The Captain then called for quiet and gave a brief description of what was done to the bridge of the Enterprise, showing off the upgrades and latest in design. Of course, Jim would only take his descriptions so far as he knew they were Ambassadors, but they didn’t have to know all of Starfleet’s capabilities. Just a friendly reminder of who and what we are and how far we have come and the possibilities of where we were going. Maggie had to admit, the bridge is pretty impressive and since the refit it was looking better than the simulators back on earth. The rest of the Ambassadors were leaving the bridge, knowing the Captain was about to take command, but he was looking at Spock and Maggie and thought now would be a good time to remind them, or at least Maggie that this is the store and she is now going to mind it. He asked Ambassador Sarek and Amanda to wait.

“Commander Stuart, you went to Command School did you not?” asked Kirk with authority.  
“You know I did, Captain. I was right behind you in tenths of a point in graduating.” Kirk looked at her waiting for the proper response. She figured it out and said “Aye Sir.” Kirk nodded his head and then asked:

“Ever take a starship out of spacedock, Commander?” She once again was going to give him a flippant answer, but composed herself thanks to her bondmate sending her calm and Vulcan reserve. 

“Not at any time, Sir.”

“Well,...” said Kirk as he got out of his chair. “Now is as good a time as any. Take her out Commander,” he ordered. “Not everything good comes from the result of winning or losing a race.”

Maggie knew what he was referring to, the conversation at breakfast. She was being punished,...in a way and challenged. She rose to the challenge, straightened her jacket and confidently said “Aye Sir.”

McCoy was practically having a silent stroke while Spock calmly sent through the bond that he would help her, to which she shut off the bond and said // I can do this, Spock.// When she blocked him, he raised an eyebrow and stayed calm. 

She sat in the command chair and noticed how comfortable it was, so she squished herself into the comfortable chair and crossed her legs. The rest of the bridge crew chuckled as she did that to which she looked up at them with her “Command Mask” and they fell silent. 

McCoy remarked to Jim that she had a better game face than he did, to which Jim put up his hand to silence him. Ambassador Sarek watched with interest, but did not understand why the Commander was taking the ship out. Spock explained to his father that in the Captain’s unique style, he was giving out a reprimand to the Commander. He then explained that he had indulged Marguerite in a race to their quarters and she lost. Sarek almost started to laugh, he had many a race with Amanda in years past, oddly enough she always lost. He thought perhaps she let him win because her reward was well, extremely rewarding for them both. As his old friend T’relek stated, Maggie would be feisty to the bitter end and now the Captain was showing her what happens when you don’t adhere to what Starfleet expects of his officers. Sarek thought that the Captain was about to be shown up. 

“Very well, Commander Sulu, has spacedock cleared us to move out?”

“Aye, Sir,” replied Sulu.

“Let’s kick the tires and light the fires. Clear all moorings.”

“Aye Sir, all mooring have been cleared.”

“Aft thrusters, one quarter impulse power. Nice and slow Commander Sulu.”

“Aye Sir, one quarter impulse power.” 

The Enterprise started forward motion slowly and then progressed to a fluid movement, slowly moving out of the spacedock and into open space. Maggie checked the flight plan to make sure there were no errors and saw just before Starbase 24 there was noted a disturbance. 

“Commander Sulu, what is this disturbance?” She then turned and looked at Captain Kirk, who pointed to Sulu to give the answer. 

“It is a temporal disturbance that has recently appeared. We’ve been ordered around it and our time will be extended by one solar day.”

“Recommendations?”

“I recommend that we travel at warp 5 to make up for any lost time, Commander,” said Spock, who came up along side of the command chair. Maggie thought for a split second. 

“Commander Sulu, are we free to navigate?”

“Aye Sir.”

“Then take the ship to warp 2 for about 1 solar hour and then punch it up to warp 5 for the duration of the trip.” She looked around and saw people with questions on their faces.  
“We have to shake the dust off the warp engines, they’ve been sitting there in spacedock for how long?” She looked to Scotty. 

“Aye, Captain and the warp engines thank ye.” Maggie chuckled. Thank you Scotty for the promotion, but Commander is just fine,” as she watched him blush for his mistake. At this point, Captain Kirk relieved the Commander of her position. Sulu looked toward the Captain for a change in orders. 

“ Nope, you heard the orders, Sulu, steady as she goes.” The ship went to warp 2 and a course laid in for Starbase 24. 

“You know, anytime you want to take the Captain’s test,....,”remarked Kirk.

“Command the Kobiyashi Maru again? No thanks, I did fine the first time and I stand by my marks. Remember Jim, I really was tenths of a point behind you. We graduated 1 and 2,...although it should have been 2 and 3.”  
“How’s that,” asked Kirk. 

“Because there was a cadet that finished two years ahead of schedule.”

“Who was that?” cried Kirk. And then he remembered. “Captain Spock.”

“Yes Sir,” replied Commander Stuart. She looked around and people were leaving the bridge. “Permission to withdraw, Captain.”

“Going somewhere?” he asked. 

“I have a rehearsal to attend and some things to do in my dept." 

“Permission granted. When are you back here again?”

“Tomorrow night, the night shift.” 

“Very good, Commander.”

oooOooo

Maggie made a beeline to the concert hall, where the orchestra was waiting for her. As she got there, a few started to clap or do the same with the bows of their stringed instruments. It was the one and only time she would have to rehearse. But there was a problem. The words translated from Czech to Standard didn’t hold the same melodic quality if she left it in Czech. So Maggie discussed this with William and Terri and they came up with solution to put an insert into programme of the lyrics with an explanation. That way, they could hear the music and in their own minds fit the lyrics to the music themselves. They also made a change in conducting. Maggie would conduct the opening number of the Overture of Das Fledermaus by Joanne Strauss, Jr. With those decisions made, the rehearsal went on, with Maggie first conducting, then she sang “Song To The Moon” from Rusalka by Dvorak. It came off beautifully, both the beginning and the end. 

Lyrics to “Song to the Moon.” ~ Rusalka

O moon high up in the deep, deep sky,  
Your light sees far away regions,  
You travel round the wide,  
Wide world peering into human dwellings

O, moon, stand still for a moment,  
Tell me, ah, tell me where is my lover!  
Tell him. please, silvery moon in the sky,  
That I am hugging him firmly,  
That he should for at least a while  
Remember his dreams!  
Light up his faraway place,  
Tell him, ah, tell him who is here waiting!  
If he is dreaming about me,  
May this remembrance waken him!  
O, moon, don't disappear, don’t disappear, disappear!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics are the translation of this Aria from Rusalka by Dvorak, which was shown at the Met. It's really quite beautiful although the opera is sung in Czech. It's the Little Mermaid and if you know that story, you know this opera. As some of you may have guessed, my occupation in the past had a lot to do with music.


	25. Chapter 25

There were receptions and parties everywhere on board ship and if one wasn’t planned, it was soon started. The chefs on board were having a field day making food that was palatable for whatever species was on ship. The only good thing is that humans were up to trying new foods. As Maggie walked the halls looking in on various rooms where there were discussions and debates going on, she was often called in as historian and former academic to put in her two cents, which she would by just asking a question that got everyone in the room thinking. After about 15 minutes of this she would politely leave and let them find their own answers. She ran into her former aides who were setting up music facilities. Both felt that they were back at the Academy doing open house and recruiting. Maggie laughed. She said as long as you don’t get recruited for someone else’s army or war forces, you’re in good shape. 

On the other side of the ship, was the Senator’s quarters and Dr. Chapel was having a nice dinner. After they ate, the Senator said a particular word to her as she was about to leave. She stopped and turned around and waited, like an android waiting for specific directions 

“Can you hear me Christine,” he asked. 

“Yes,” she said staring blankly into space.

“Here are your orders, to be performed after the big concert.” He whispered them to her in her ear. 

She stepped back and said “I understand.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” 

“Good. Repeat your orders to me, but whisper in my ear.” She repeated her orders into the Senator’s ear and then relaxed. “Very good, Christine. You may go and when you leave, you will be normal.” 

She left the room and just as he said, she became normal again and walked down to the turbolift to her quarters. The Romulan who was disguised as a Vulcan, came out of hiding. 

“Her conditioning is complete, Senator. Will you be requiring anything else?”

“How are the plans to get this ship close to the temporal displacement?” 

“That will be no problem. There will be a Romulan ship sending out a distress signal that the Enterprise will have to answer. We have the codes to disguise our ship as lost with navigation problems,” said the Romulan. “Once the Enterprise is in the right place, you will activate your assassin and your revenge will be complete. May I ask,...what will happen to the young woman you are using?” Wainwright shrugged his shoulders, indicating he didn’t care what happened to Christine. That did it for the Romulan. Admittedly, he was taken by the woman, but he was the enemy and although she would be a rare prize indeed to take with him back to Romulus, if he made it out alive of Federation space, he knew she wouldn’t go with him. The least he could do is offer to help deprogram her. He left enough in her programming to make it easy for the humans or Vulcans. The other thing he had a great deal of trouble with was the Senator’s insatiable need for revenge on this woman Maggie Stuart. Because his son cheated and was caught? Starfleet is indeed weak, because any Romulan caught cheating would be killed, no questions asked. She is also bonded to the Vulcan first officer. He remembered what the Romulans did to his wife when he didn’t comply. It is the reason he is a widower, it is the reason he wished he could have met Dr. Chapel under different circumstances. It is why he decided to change a few things so that at least they would have a chance to save her. 

The senator asked him what he was thinking and he gave an excuse of going through plans, which wasn’t a lie, just a deception. He did not like this Senator at all. The Romulan vanished back into his quarters. 

The following day was unremarkable,...even for Maggie. Everything was running smoothly,...a little too smoothly she thought. Spock and she were on the night shift tonight and it would be unremarkable as well. Normally, if Maggie wasn’t there, Spock would be at the comm., but he would be able to complete his research of the time displacement that showed up nearby Starbase 24. Why it is very wise to give this a wide berth with all the diplomats aboard. 

He laid in bed watching his mate sleeping. She was curled into a tight ball next to him, using the top of his arm as a pillow. With his other hand, he covered her with the sheet and blankets of the bed and pulled her closer to him so she might feel his warmth, to keep her comfortable. She turned away, mumbling something unintelligible in her sleep, which caused Spock to indulge himself in a smile and then got a stroke of inspiration. He carefully got up, not disturbing Maggie as she was now in a deep sleep; he slipped out of the door to his quarters, grabbed his ka’athyra and made his way back to her quarters. He slipped in, checked to see if she was still asleep, satisfied she was, he sat down in the living area, tuned the instrument and then let his mind wander until there was an image of Maggie in his mind and he began to play. At first it was a little disjointed, as if the melody was tentative in nature and then slowly building to a beautifully haunting sound of vast contrapuntal melodies, weaving through each other to create a solid bonding of harmony and counterpoint. Complex and yet simplistic in idea and form. It reached Maggie’s ears and drew her out of her deep sleep as she listened and slowly became awake. She leaned her head back into the pillows and sighed. 

//Such beauty, I’ve never heard this piece of music before.. // She arose from her bed, put her robe on and quietly exited the bedroom to follow the music and stopped at the doorway of the living area to see Spock sitting and playing his ka'athyra. She thought she had only heard this instrument played once before and it was on Vulcan at the hands of Sarek. She was coming into their home for more training of her mind and she was early. Just as she had then heard the strange music and followed the sound to their study, and peeked into the room to catch Sarek and Amanda in an intimate private moment of relaxation,...listening to Sarek serenade his wife. As she backed away from the door to give them their privacy, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the love and devotion this Vulcan male had for his mate. It was private and she tiptoed out of their home and waited for the music to stop. Sarek of course knew she was there,...he is after all a very strong telepath, which is why he was chosen to teach Maggie how to harness her gift better than she already did. To this day, she never said a thing to Sarek or to Amanda; this music that Spock was playing was so hauntingly beautiful. His back was to her as he played, his eyes were shut lost in the music and she walked up and sat across from him. She saw a tear run down his face and was moved by his obvious emotion. Eventually, he ended the piece and gave a big sigh while opening his eyes. He saw Maggie there sitting across from him and looked down and asked for forgiveness for his indiscretion of emotional lapse. 

“Spock, it’s just you and me and the music. That was beautiful.”

“That was you, my Beloved. It was a freeform piece I call “Marguerite.”

“I’m that complex?” she asked, confused.

“Yes, in the most beautiful way, you take the simplistic form,... a woman with a melody of her own and harmonies, so original you defy logic,...at times. Just when I think I have you figured out, you change your mind, do something original, creative,...you take my breath away. Now do you see it in the music?”

“Yes, Spock. You do me great honor.”

“No, it is you who honor me.”

“Will you teach me to play?” Maggie asked as she looked over the instrument.

“I will.”

“Well, right about now I could use some food, so let’s shower and get dressed, ok?” They showered and dressed. Uniforms on and straight, they both went down to the dining room to be greeted by various crew members and congratulating Maggie on her holodeck program of New Orleans.

“Oh oh, Leonard have you been there?” Maggie spied Dr. McCoy sitting with a couple female Lieutenants who were sharing a joke with the Doctor. 

“Huh,...what? Oh, Maggie it’s the same place. Same bartender, same wild drinks,...just one thing though,...no piano player. You think you could,...conjure up a good lookin’ jazz piano player with a voice to sing with?” Maggie shook her head and snickered. That was his way of saying get your butt down to the holodeck and enjoy the bar.

 

“I’ll be there tomorrow night, tonight I have the night shift.” 

“Maybe I should talk to the Captain for you on that subject.”

“Yeah, you do that, Doctor. Maybe you’ll get a rep and not me,...this time. Gotta go, Doctor, but I will show up tomorrow night and we’ll have some fun.”

 

Spock was confused. Did they not share an intimate moment with each other and wasn’t that enjoyable? And why does Marguerite need to have fun, when we create our own amusement? Then he reasoned humans will always need to socialize with each other. He thought back to his relationship with Christine and her desire to show off her Vulcan prize to her friends. At least he wasn’t a trophy for Marguerite. 

Maggie sensed confusion through the bond and looked over at Spock who was trying to reason her desire to be with her friends at the holodeck. //Insecurity?// she thought. Not from a Vulcan. She resolved to ask him later on, perhaps during the shift of watch on the bridge. Judging from all the delegates and diplomats on board, Jim was going to need a break and would get that break from a reliable night shift. But she would ask Spock to explain his confusion to her.


	26. The Night Shift

The day ran on and on it seemed. Musical and diplomatic receptions were great diversions for the Enterprises guests, but it was the second day and already tempers were starting to flare. Usually with one party and the Vulcans. Maggie watched with interest as Sarek quieted those Ambassadors hellbent on making an opposing point with him. And he as eloquent as usual, with his mastery of Standard to perfection managed to stave off any arguments of any kind, while crew members looked on with awe. 

“Well done Ambassador. I thought perhaps it was going to erupt into something scandalous with the Orions.”

“Indeed,” replied Sarek looking fondly at his son’s bondmate. “I believe the Orion Ambassador was also hoping for that outcome.” Maggie smiled to herself as she and the Ambassador went to the buffet table to have some of the fruit provided. 

“Grapes. This is about the only thing I have of the wine family, the fruit in which it was made from,” said Maggie.”

“You do not partake?” asked Sarek.

“No, not much anymore. It always clouded my mind and I wanted clarity at all times. It also saved me from having a terrible hangover the next morning.” 

“A wise precaution.”

“Spock gave me a treat of playing his ka’athyra. How beautiful it was.”

“Tell me,...did his playing measure up to my playing that day long ago?” asked Sarek with a twinkle in his eye. You could almost see a smile forming on his lips, but you could see it slightly in his eye. Maggie studied Sarek for a moment and thought //what a crafty Vulcan you are. Well, two can play at this. //

“His playing was superlative and impressionable on my soul. To say that his playing measured up to yours would be inadequate Sarek as you were playing to serenade your wife, not me. But they were both aesthetically pleasing.”

“Now look who is being the diplomat,” said Sarek with an uptic to his mouth. 

“I come to serve.” Maggie shot back with a slight bow. She heard from Sarek what could only be thought of as a puff of air coming from his mouth that sounded like a laugh. His raised eyebrow and twinkling eyes, which showed his approval of her answer,...just in time as Amanda came up by her husband’s side offering her fingers to him.

“Are you flirting with my husband, Commander,” she said with a smile and laughing eyes. “There are not too many who can get him to,...appreciate a good sense of humor.”

“Indeed, Ko-mekh. We were sharing a memory of when I was the student many years ago in your home,...and music. And now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to the bridge to report for duty.”

“You seem happier now than the other night.”

“Yes, Ko-mekh. Spock keeps me calm,...when I allow things to flow naturally.”

“Yes, it took me awhile to learn and you will,...you will learn to keep just enough of the crazy to keep him intrigued.”

“WELL DONE, Amanda!” said Maggie brightly.

“I come to serve.” Amanda replied drolly. Sarek and Maggie looked at Amanda. He whispered “well done indeed, my beloved.” Maggie just smiled and said “touche” and left.

She ran to the lift and jumped in yelling Bridge. Of course, yelling a command doesn’t make the lift go any faster, but it got there and she jumped out, trying to look nonchalant. It wasn’t working. Kirk didn’t look, he knew it was Maggie. He decided to play mean Captain anyway. 

“You’re late, Commander. Any reason?”

“I was telling state secrets to the Vulcan Ambassador,...namely what the T stands for in James T. Kirk.”

“Tiberius, everybody knows that,” said Kirk indifferently.

“Oh? That’s not what I heard. I heard it’s,...and she whispered in his ear, “James “Tonight’s your night” Kirk.”

Jim turned a deep shade of red. “Those girls really said that of me?”

“Ah huh. I never lie to my Captain, or to my husband.” Meanwhile Spock was asking her through the bond.  
//What were you saying to my father?//

//Our father and I had a very nice conversation. You should ask him. If you must know, it had to do with your music that I heard and still keep dear to my heart, K’diwa.//

“I relieve you, Sir.” she said at the same time she was talking to Spock through the bond.

“We’re not that strict here, Mags, but I stand relieved. OH! NO JOY RIDING!!”

“Of course not, Sir. We’re on course to Starbase 24. I understand we’re also making good time.”

“Yes, we are, but that wasn’t necessarily for you, it was for my science officer who wants a closer look at that anomaly.”

“It ain’t happening, Captain.” said Maggie with a pointed look at Spock. 

“Good, see that it doesn’t, Commander.” With that Kirk turned and got into the lift and waved bye-bye to Commander Stuart and the rest of the bridge crew.

“Does he always wave bye-bye to the bridge crew?” she asked watching the crew smile and giggle.

“For you he did,” said Spock. Maggie shook her head and then turned to look at fuel consumption reports, which looked fine. Since changing the refinement of dilithium crystals into a chamber, fuel was inexhaustible. She got up from the chair and looked over Spock’s shoulder. He wanted to put his arm around her and put her on his lap to kiss her, but conduct unbecoming and all that. No, that would have to wait until later. 

“What do you have so far on this anomaly, Spock? Maggie asked genuinely curious. She also felt his desire through the bond and she patted him on his shoulder in agreement that what he was thinking of would wait until later. 

“Nothing much. Long range scans have registered that there is an anomaly,...and,...hmmm. It seems to be growing.” 

“Growing. Now that is interesting. At what rate?” Spock raised an eyebrow and said unknown at this moment. I will calculate and project. Hmmm, it seems to now be shrinking. Fascinating.” 

“Which is why you would like to take a side trip and take readings at a safe distance. Maybe we can after we drop the diplomats off at 24. It would be worth the trip I think.”

“As do I, K’diwa.” Maggie started to smile. 

“Terms of endearment to your commanding bridge officer?” Spock raised his eyebrow again and then whispered in her ear a plan to somehow have her alone on the bridge and to enjoy the bridge chair,...together. “Your mother was right.”

“How so,...Commander?” he said with his half smile.

“She advised me to keep just enough of the “crazy’ in this relationship which will keep you intrigued.” 

“Indeed,” he said and continued to whisper, “but that is only part of the reason why I am in this relationship,...I cherish thee, t’hy’la.”

Maggie smiled. She felt his desire and his affection through the bond they held and she returned to the command chair, sat down and proceeded to check out reports and make her log entries..Spock felt her love through the bond and as he continued to scan and was extremely sure there would be a showing of their affection later after duty.


	27. The Rest of the Shift

The rest of the night shift continued without incident or notice. It was your typical midnight shift that one could find in almost any setting. Most of the crew was used to it and scheduled tests and maintenance checks to pass the time,...Maggie thought she should bring some PADDS with her from her dept.,...just in case it got so boring that she would fall asleep. She then looked over at her bondmate and returned his stare with a soft smile of hers, conveying love and a request for fresh squeezed orange juice. An eyebrow went up and then an acknowledgement of the request. 

“We really need music up here to pass the time. But the Captain would have a fit no doubt.”

“What kind of music?” asked one of the crew. 

“Oh, I don’t know, something that wouldn’t put you to sleep and at the same time something that wouldn’t rip your eyeballs out.”

Commander Uhura just came on duty and heard the Commander’s remark and stated, “We tried that years ago, but just when you got comfortable with some nice sounds, all hell would break loose somewhere and that was the end of that,...and some people didn’t appreciate it,” Uhura finished looking pointedly at Spock. 

“Oh,” said Maggie also looking at Spock and then chuckling to herself and thinking, //but what you tolerate now ashayam would frighten fish.// Another raised eyebrow from Spock and he calmly returned to his scanner. 

“Oh oh,” laughed Uhura. “Unauthorized mind-speak happening, unfair.”

“Nah,...just some of the perks of being a bonded mate.”

Uhura couldn’t help it, she was curious, but not about Maggie and Spock.  
“Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” Maggie paused, swallowed.

“Sure. I’ve got nothing to do for the next 30 minutes, ask away.” She looked over hesitantly at Spock, who now turned in his chair to face the comm.

“Oh it’s not about you and Spock,...although everybody wants to know, but it’s about you and Dr. McCoy.”

“Gheese, something else highly irregular,....well Nyota ask away. What would you like to know.” Maggie hoped this would not upset Spock, knowing that he has this thing about rivals and how he must be victorious in his defense of her.

“We all know how you met, but what happened afterwards? Did you go out? Did you have a relationship?” Maggie shut her eyes and thought //so human. Always have to know everybody’s business.// She heard Spock mentally make a clearing the throat sound,...//that’s what you are, beloved.//

“The answer to the questions are yes and yes, but let me explain. Leonard and I hit it off immediately. There was no work involved in our relationship. We genuinely liked each other and still do. You think I’m a little crazy? He was a wildcat. He worked hard, was the best damn doctor money could buy if you were buyin’, drank hard and played hard. He had some tough luck early on in his life and he trusted me enough to tell me all about it after one night of “bar-crawling.” I’ve never told anybody and not about to tell now, but you see, I didn’t judge him. It’s not my place to. A friend wouldn’t do that. So we hung out together as did the Captain. We were the “3 musketeers” on campus until Leonard left for his residency. Then it became the “dueling duo.” The captain and I always challenged each other, competed with each other. It was a healthy competition. He won, but I did too. He went stars, I went to lecture hall to teach. Oddly enough, I visited as many planets in the Federation as you all did in your first 5-year mission. It all worked out for the good because now I’m here and I have all of you to add to my friend list, not to mention Ambassadors and their wives, in-laws, a mate. Who could ask for anything more.” She turned the comm chair to see Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Spock, the rest of the day shift listening to her speak. Without missing a beat, she greeted the Captain and gave him a report and recommendations concerning the anomaly spotted by Spock’s long range scans. After that was done, she got up and relinquished the chair. 

“I understand why you wanted to keep your chair,...very comfy. How long were you standing there.” she asked Jim as he sat down.

“Long enough, Commander. Oh by the way,...I’m looking forward to your concert. I’m thinking of piping it up here so the crew can listen, in two solar days.”

“Nothing like live music to make the shift pass by,” said Maggie with a wink. She looked up and saw Spock waiting for her, holding the lift. “Have a good day, Captain.” She got into the lift and waved bye bye to the Captain as the doors closed. Kirk laughed and began his day. 

“Bones, you want something to do on the bridge?” asked Kirk.

“Nah, I’m just letting them have the lift to themselves. I’ll do down in a few minutes.”

“Captain,” said one of the bridge crew. “There seems to be something wrong with the lift,...it looks stuck.” Kirk and McCoy looked at each other and smiled.

“That’s our Maggie, Jim.”

“No, not this time. I think it’s Spock who initiated.”

“Ya think so? I didn’t think he had that kind of crazy in him.”

“Hmm,”commented Kirk. Then he leaned into McCoy and said softly, “I bet she brings   
The crazy out of him and that’s a good thing. I haven’t seen him this calm and content in a long time.”

“Yeah, since the break up two years ago. Maggie is a gift,for him; they are for each other.”

In the lift, Spock paused it and took her into his arms to kiss her the human way and then pressed his forehead to hers, a Vulcan sign of affection. She giggled saying he reminded her of a cat that head-butts her human for affection. He reminded her that Vulcans are descended from felinid not apes as humans are. She said she didn’t care what he was descended from she grabbed his face and kissed him again. He complied with her wishes.


	28. Chapter 28

Traditionally, Maggie was not a morning person. She didn’t like night shifts that much either, but she had said it was okay to sign her up. Problem with having to go to work during the second shift, is that it threw her internal clock off. She was sleepy, and generally incoherent. Spock thought this was amusing as he got ready for the day. After stopping briefly for some “orange juice” as per her request on the bridge, the two tumbled into bed. Maggie literally passed out on top of Spock as he was doing calculations in his head concerning that anomaly. He wanted to do more research on what he was considering a rip in the fabric of space and time. So far, long range scans have only given him height and width, but if it gave him depth, then this would be something else entirely. What he wasn’t entirely sure, but this needed the opinion of an astrophysicist and he just happened to know of a really good one,...the Vulcan Ambassador. So he got up, showered, dressed and after touching Maggie with two fingers on her brow watching her smile and turn over to continue sleeping, he left with his mind already reaching out to his father to meet him for a discussion. 

One half hour later, Maggie was laying on her back with her arm underneath her head. She was wide awake and thinking,...of the anomaly. She had a good mind to reach out to Spock as to where he was to talk about the thing out there, but decided not to. He’s the science officer and is probably doing his science officer thing. Just then she felt his mind brush up against hers with what could be described as a kiss. She felt him there in her mind and was pleased to feel him. She sent back her desire to make love, to which Spock sent to her a major brush of her mind with equal desire. She started laughing to herself and sent the message //down boy, save that for later.//, to which he sent back,... // a frownie face //. Sarek who was witnessing his son communicating with his mate, looked over to Amanda and mentioned to her through their bond their son was engaging in mental pictures to entice his wife,...like they used to do when they were younger. Amanda blushed red and Spock thought she wasn’t feeling well. She said that she was and graciously excused herself from the table while giving Sarek “the look.” Meanwhile, Maggie figured out where Spock was and sent an apologetic “oops,” but she was laughing on the outside. Grabbing her brush, she fixed her hair into a more appropriate twist according to Starfleet regs and then left their quarters for some much needed food, by way of Archaeology and History dept to see what was going on. But it seemed everywhere she went she got congrats on her holodeck program of the New Orleans dive bar, how everyone liked it and perhaps they would think about putting a place to relax like a bar in a starship as well as a holodeck. She thought about a starship having a bar to relax and socialize in and came to the conclusion that it would never happen,...as long as there were planets to patrol and peace treaties to negotiate. 

Rounding the corner, Maggie popped into the senior staff dining area, plopped down with a bowl of cereal and some fruit. Popping a spoonful of cereal into her mouth, she chewed and leaned her head back and shut her eyes, relishing in the oaty sweet flavor. McCoy popped in to see who was there and saw Maggie eating cereal. Since Spock wasn’t around, he thought he would sit down and talk to his friend. 

“Nice description of our friendship, Commander,” he said with a smile.

“I thought so,” she said taking another spoonful. “Did I say anything that wasn’t the truth?” Maggie asked.  
“Nope,” replied McCoy. “Ya comin’ later and don’t you want a steak and some potatoes?” He looked over to see her bowl with cereal and fruit.

“Yes, I’m coming later and no, steak and potatoes is too heavy. Besides, I’m slowly weaning myself away from animal protein.” She noticed on her chrono that it was way into the second 1200 hours and technically she would be finishing up dinner and settling down to a hearty game of poker, or doing something decidedly sexy with her bondmate. That was another thing about Vulcans that was such a misnomer; with their mates they did enjoy as Spock would put it, copulating. She started to laugh to herself and McCoy noticed her undisguised laughter. 

“You thinkin’ about Spock again?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“As a matter of fact I am,...in a very good way.” she answered. McCoy shook his head and grumbled about being left out, immediately Maggie went up behind the Doctor and wrapped her arms about him and whispered not in this lifetime will he ever be left out of her life. He reached up and took Maggie’s hands to pull her around and quietly mentioned that it’s a good thing Spock wasn’t here, because he wouldn’t be too happy with her hanging on him and he liked breathing so,...no offense but,...back off. He punctuated that statement with a quick kiss on her cheek. Maggie smiled and pointed to the doorway, where Spock was there, leaning up against the side, calmly watching the whole scene. Maggie then leaned into McCoy and whispered: “Trust,...I haz it.” 

“That ya do, Maggie,” said McCoy.

“And so do you,....in case you were wondrin’” she said as she sidled up to Spock who looked down at her with almost a smile. “Otherwise,....you’d be lying in a heap on the floor.”

“I know that Maggie. You don’t trifle with a Vulcan,” said McCoy calmly, looking at the two of them.

“That’s true Leonard,...but,...I’m the one who’d knock your lights out.” Leonard thought about what she said and felt that was a fair statement. He knew she could trust him to the enth degree, just as he trusted her as Spock trusted him. They both knew that the “grumpy Doctor” was more or less and act. But Maggie often worried about McCoy,...she didn’t want him to be lonely. Of course, just when she worried the most about him, she would find him with at least two young lieutenants hanging on every word he was saying. That’s when she would mentally chastise herself for getting too worried and that the Doctor was always able to take care of himself. But it was nice to know she had him and Jim Kirk as well as her tall drink of water Vulcan bondmate in her corner. 

They left the dining area and strolled to the observation lounge where usually there were people of all sorts there, but for some reason it was empty. Looking out into space, Spock had Maggie in front of him, leaning on him being wary of people that could see, Maggie not really caring if anyone did see, because in her mind,...they belonged together. But she also knew Spock had a particular reason for coming here. 

“Spock, you wish to discuss something with me?” Spock looked down at his bondmate and smiled his half-smile at her, Maggie catching the reflection of that smile on the windows of the observation area. 

“Indeed, Marguerite. What would you think if I decided to leave Starfleet?” She had a feeling a question like this was coming. Things had changed for him. He now had a wife to provide for, not that he was the sole provider, but Vulcans can be “old fashioned” in the regard of a husband providing for his wife. She turned to face Spock who now had returned to his “game-face” of stoicism. 

“What would you do my husband,” she asked, knowing full well what the answer would be. He raised an eyebrow and replied, “Why do you ask that which you already know the answer to?”  
She smiled and said simply, “I want to hear you say it.” Spock this time gave her a small smile. He sighed and kissed the top of her head. He wanted so much to embrace her, but settled for holding her hands,...so that she will know this is his sincere answer.

“I wish to enter into the diplomatic corp with my father as a representative for the Federation and for Vulcan. What say you do that, my wife?”

“I say that you will be brilliant in anything you accomplish, but,...if you go,...I am right behind you. Spock the only bright spot about me being on the Enterprise is that I have you and you have me. I don’t want to be here,...I miss my classrooms, lectures, archaeological trips, teaching, I miss all that. If you aren’t here, then I am with you wherever you are. I consider us a team and if my function of that team is by your side as your wife, then so be it. My only regret is that I’m past the age of childbearing. I never thought I would say this, but I want so much to give you children and I can’t. It hurts me that I can’t do that.” Spock could not help himself. He put his hand up to her psi points and melded with her just to give her peace,...he did not wish for her to be upset. 

“K’diwa, it was not my intent to upset you. I am very gratified that you wish to have a family with me. But right now, let us think about when would be a good time to announce our resignations..”

“Now would be a good time,” Maggie parried with a smile.

“Perhaps we should wait until this mission is over.” 

“Of course, my husband. I knew I should have left my piano at home.”

Spock looked behind them and noticed people coming into the lounge, he touched his forehead to Maggie's and then they turned and walked out. First back to quarters where they had some “goin’ down time.” Spock was laying in what would be thought of as semi-comatose,...just barely there as he was trying to reorient himself. He tried to get up, but couldn’t move. // What did she do to me,// he thought. He could hear her laughing in his mind, but she was in the shower. He recalled what happened briefly. Of course he enjoyed oral sex with her. Her taste was different than others, a combination of sweet and salty. But no one else wanted to reciprocate in kind with him,...until Marguerite came along and did things as Spock reminded himself she would say, “that will frighten fish.” //How does one frighten a fish?// He mistakenly asked her. He found out. Now he couldn’t move. 

Maggie came out of the shower, took one look at Spock who was still trying to recover, but his mind kept going back to her beautiful, sensual mouth and oh yes, the rest of her,...raised his head up and then groaned as his head went back down. Maggie took one look at her husband and broke into hysterical laughter. Spock looked at her with eyes blazing and then softened up. He once again allowed a lapse of emotional control and started to laugh as well. Maggie loved when he let an emotion come through and his laughter was deep and rich sounding. Of course, she would never tell anyone she’s heard a Vulcan laugh. To her it was a gift. With her towel wrapped around her she crawled on top of Spock and kissed him all over his face.

“I love you,” she whispered to him and kissed him on the mouth. He opened his mouth to let her tongue in and kissed her back with equal passion, but stopped “Taluhk nash-veh k’dular. Thank you for,...indulging my needs.” 

“They’re mine too, K’diwa. And now,...I have to get dressed and make an appearance at the holobar on the holodeck, to play some holotunes.” She smiled and chuckled at her joke. Spock still couldn’t move, but was slowly making progress.

As a parting shot, she said to Spock "Just remember,...frownie faces and asking me about frightening fish, will get you this," and with that she opened her mouth provocatively and licked her lower lip,...slowly. Spock's head went back down on the pillow and he groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, sorry, sorry it took so long to get this up and out. Sometimes I will hit a block and I can't move the story along. You have no idea how many rewrites it took, but finally got something that works a little bit. Enjoy y'all. lol


	29. Chapter 29

It could be said that Maggie loved being a musician, and if she had her druthers, she would be content to just play in a bar all night long and have men buy her drinks and try to pick her up. At least that’s what she always thought she would like. But she enjoyed teaching more and music became a hobby more or less. When she was a cadet, she would get extra credits by hiring out on weekends to piano bars or dive bars as she and Leonard called them, to play music, sing jazz ballads make actual credit tips, in short she made extra money and put it away for herself to live on. 

The Federation would avail themselves of her musical talents more often than not which is how she met her dear doctor and captain. But more often than not, she used her musicianship to relax, play music, write it, rearrange it and conduct it. It was a challenge as well as a way for her to relax, to take her mind off of problems to make decisions. Now Spock had thrown something new into the mix. To leave Starfleet and become the diplomat’s wife. That would mean adapting to a new role all together. She pondered that as she put her clothes on and left their quarters, with a word for Spock to come to the holodeck if he could still walk. She left with laughter haunting his ears as he finally lapsed into sleep. She smiled to herself. Vulcan females don’t do oral sex. They should try at least once to please their mates at least in the final throes of their time, but then they were probably too exhausted to be creative. Spock gave up saying he was sorry every time he tried a new position or some such thing that might hurt Maggie. It’s not that she liked rough sex, she just believed that nothing worth doing should be done half-assed. “Balls to the wall” was her motto. 

As she approached the holodeck, she could hear the noise of a big crowd of people emanating from the room. She turned the corner and found the room packed with crew members, diplomats, her in-laws sitting at the table that was put together by Leonard and Jim, but it was who they were staring at that got her attention,...the piano player. She backed up to a wall and stood there in disbelief, calling to Spock through their bond to PLEASE get his butt down here that she needed his support and his strength because she might say or do something odd like murder Jim. There at the piano was none other than her father, the concert pianist playing ragtime jazz (Joplin) like it was what he does for a living. Her mother was also there, talking with Amanda like they were old friends, even her grandfather was enjoying seeing his daughter again, but saw Maggie and excused himself to get up to go to her. Maggie’s relationship with her parents was tenuous at best. Not so much her mother, but her father was an annoying pain in the ass and always made sure you knew it. When she transferred her education from the one University to the Academy, World War III broke out between the three of them. He cut her off financially, her mother was not happy with her choice of transfer, but Maggie being the stubborn Scott she is, would not back down,...nor would her father. They haven’t spoken to each other since, although an occasional letter or comm note was sent with no reply. This was the first time in years they had seen each other. // It figures Dad would enjoy the spotlight not meant for him,// she thought.

//Now, now child. He has changed since you last spoken to him. He misses you and wants to congratulate you on your accomplishments,// said her grandfather.

//He wants to bask in the spotlight you mean, pretending to be the doting parent.//

“Maggie,” T’relek spoke to her, “Be kind. The only one that will succeed in looking stupid will be yourself. Be the smart, intelligent woman I raised you to be! Besides, your mother would like to renew her relationship with you. Surely you’re not mad with her?”

A frustrated scream was being strangled in her throat, but that would also call attention to herself and not the attention she wants. A hand came around and touched her on her arm. It was Spock. He came as soon as she called. He saw his own parents talking with a strange woman along with Jim and Leonard. 

“Well child, the choice is yours. Walk away and you will surely never see your parents again. Embrace them and you might get a visit from them once in awhile, but at least you won’t have prying eyes here always wondering what was the real story behind the snub.” Her grandfather had a very good point on that. So, she took a deep breath, said to Spock through her bond with him that now she will audition for the role of diplomat’s wife. He offered two fingers to her and simply said //I am here to support you, my beloved.// She guided Spock over to the big table where by now, the music had stopped because Maggie’s father noticed her at the doorway. He wanted to embrace his youngest daughter and tell her how proud he was of her. Being on a starship, the flagship as well was very prestigious. And now she was,...what was it bonded, to the first officer of the ship, a Vulcan but as McKenzie thought he would make allowances for the differences. 

“Hello Dad, Mom,” said Maggie approaching the table with a chair offered to her by Leonard and Jim, but she stood toe to toe with her father as he came up to the table.

“I see you were playing on my piano. What did you think of the action? Did it play alright?” She was waiting for him to be his usual critical self.

“Mags, it played fine. I understand from your Captain that this program was your design. Such an accomplishment.”

“Yes, it is, isn’t it. I see you have met everyone, hello Mother.” She bent down and kissed her on the cheek and whispered to her “I missed you.” Maggie sat down next to her mother and of course got a big hug from her. Maggie rolled her eyes and a smile appeared. Leonard and Jim sat back were eating popcorn while watching the play unfold. They both had bets as to how long Maggie could keep her temper. So far, 10 minutes had passed,...all was well.

Spock and his family were mildly confused, until T’relek explained Maggie’s family dynamic, why she resisted her father’s advice and rules for her life. Sarek nodded and recalled not so long ago when he and his son did not speak, because Spock chose Starfleet rather than the Vulcan Science Academy they did not speak for 18 years. It wasn’t until the Vulcans did the re-fusion of katra to body that he understood that life was too short,...even for a Vulcan that it, life, could be taken away at any moment. When they saved earth and all that was held dear, because they didn’t know the question that was being asked of them, because of miscommunication of a probe to its species,...humpback whales it was then that Spock and he made amends. Spock and his father connected with each other for a brief moment in understanding,...that Maggie’s trouble with her father can only be solved by her and her father. 

Maggie decided it was time to play. She called up the musicians she had originally programmed in and got up to play. She asked the players if it was alright to sit in and they in their New Orleans accents said y’all come. She started out with a classical number that she quickly segued to a jazz number that the holo-musicians kept up with her. Then playing music that she just knew off the top of her head from Satin Doll to Sophisticated Lady, she played for the next hour and one half. 

She looked around the room, it had thinned out some, Sarek and Amanda had left, as most of the diplomats, all that was left was the senior staff and Maggie’s parents. She got rid of the musicians and decided to play a solo piece “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” 

 

The loveliness that’s Paris seems somehow sadly gay  
The glory that was Rome is of another day.  
I’ve been terribly alone and forgotten in Manhattan  
I’m going home to my city by the Bay.

I left my heart in San Francisco.  
High on a hill, it calls to me.  
To be where little cable cars, climb halfway to the stars  
The morning fog may chill the air, I don’t care.

My love waits there, in San Francisco.  
Above the blue and windy sea.  
When I come home to you San Francisco  
Your golden sun will shine for me. ~~Tony Bennet lyrics

She sang the words with her jazzy voice, that quieted the small crowd. Maggie lost herself in the words and music and made up her own music that impressed her father and mother, as a matter of fact it impressed everyone in the room. Spock had stood up and leaned back on the wall and was so proud of Maggie. She managed to keep calm with her father and mother, was a perfect hostess. He thought she will make a wonderful Ambassador’s wife. She finished the song and people clapped away. She stood up and bowed and then made the announcement that in 15 minutes, this will revert to a holodeck. In other words, leave. She stepped off the stage and ignoring everyone left at the table except Leonard McCoy who she winked at, she stepped up to her Vulcan and said softly K’diwa, let’s go home. With a half smile he offered his arm and they left without a goodnight or see you tomorrow. 

“She didn’t say goodbye,” said McKenzie to his wife Magda. 

“No Sir,” said McCoy. “She had other things on her mind, like that Vulcan.” 

“There’s no chance they are just a temporary thing,” asked her mother. 

“‘Afraid not, Ma’am. They’re a bonded couple, psychically bound together and technically married according to Vulcan law.” Dr. McCoy came up and put Magda’s arm in his and the three of them walked down the corridor towards their quarters. 

“Didn’t you want to date her back then, Doctor? Or was she a little exotic for you with the telepathy?” 

Ma’am, let’s get something straight. Maggie and I never had a romantic relationship, never wanted one with her because I was still getting over a very bad breakup and divorce that cost me every cent I had and custody of my daughter. I don’t talk about it much, definitely not back then. I met Maggie and thought she was alright, we would go out and just drink and talk. One night I got the courage to tell her just what I told you. She didn’t judge me. Once I knew that she had me for life. She’s my best friend next to Jim Kirk, wouldn’t trade her for all the tea in China. She’s honest and trustworthy with a lot of compassion. And believe it or not, that’s part of what Spock sees in her. And this is where your quarters are at. Ma’am, Sir.”

“Oh, he’s such a gentleman, McKenzie.”

“I’m from the south. We’re bred that way.” McCoy gave them a lopsided smile and walked away towards his own quarters. //Maggie you owe me for smoothing your Mom’s feathers.// He hoped she heard. She did.


	30. Chapter 30

Not everyone had a good time this night. Not everyone was thrilled about Maggie’s performance. As a matter of fact, a couple of people were downright appalled. Christine Chapel under the influence of Harmon Wainwright’s programming via the mysterious Romulan. They were back in his quarters, trying to calm Christine down. She was ranting and raving about how unfair life was, that Spock was hers first, and how dare she have her family, her entire family here so that we have to behave like a taxi service for them. 

The main reason McKenzie Stuart and his wife Magda were on board is that they missed getting to the starship on time and chartered a small ship to catch the Enterprise. It was all supposed to be a big surprise for Maggie, which it was. What was also a big surprise was Maggie’s bonding to Spock. The fact that his family was on board was non sequitur. This is part of Ambassador Sarek’s job. 

Senator Wainwright sat and sipped his wine as he watched Christine rant and rave about Maggie. Now he would get his revenge. Christine was properly motivated. She was emotionally compromised and out for blood. He smiled evilly as he continued to sip his wine. The Romulan came out of the shadows, looking like a Vulcan and watching Christine. He had some drugs ready in case she got too out of control. She was pacing back and forth and ranting looking like a panther pacing in a cage, wanting to get out and be free or to hunt her prey. 

“Oh she thinks she’s so f******* wonderful with all her family aboard and Spock,...my Spock watching her.” The anguish in her voice was acute and Harmon made phony platitudes of “Christine calm down, you’ll give yourself apoplexy.”

“I can’t Harmon! It was humiliating when they were just together,....I thought it was just his way to try and get me back. We were meant for each other. I’m HIS GIRL!!”

“Apparently,...she’s his wife,...so much for your importance in the grand scheme of his life.”

“NOOOOOOOooo, SHE CAN’T HAVE HIM!! HE WILL BE MINE! MINE!”

“Senator, I think she needs to calm down,” said the Romulan quietly. He got up and applied a Vulcan nerve pinch to Christine and she collapsed into a heap. Wainwright looked at the Romulan and said “very well.” 

Once Christine crumpled, the Romulan or Sub Commander Tomov of a little known military group called the Tal Shiar, shot her with a tranquilizer in order that Christine could rest. 

“You really know how to spoil the entertainment,” said the Senator. “Are you sure she will be ready?”

“Senator, the fact that she is overcharged as she is, is proof she is more than ready.”

“Perfect, and your people have the jail cell ready?” 

“Oh yes, Senator,” said Tomov with a slight smile. “Everything is satisfactory.” The senator turned his back and petted Christine on the head and then headed out the door. Sub Commander Tomov had a lopsided smile and knelt down to place Christine more comfortably on the couch she fell on. He deduced early on that the Senator was a man of no honor, was used to having his own way. Much research of him showed just how little regard he had for his fellow man, much less the alien cultures and races he professed to be with. When he saw the senator’s callous regard for the woman he was using for his “grand plan of revenge,” Tomov took matters into his own hands. First, he made his programming of Christine’s mind easy for anyone to take out of her mind. The Vulcans were unfeeling in this process, although quite efficient. If he had the chance he would recommend a race that is vying for entry into the Federation,...Betazed. Another race of telepaths, who were always looking to help and to be of service, especially in the psychiatric field,...a race of peace. The other thing is the jail cell that he was supposed to throw Dr. Maggie Stuart into. It is a time cell. Their political prisoners were often thrown into that, never to be seen again. He saw how she, the doctor interacted with the Vulcan Captain. He couldn’t bring himself to destroy what they had and although it would look like Christine did just that, he reprogrammed the time vortex to appear on the bridge of this Enterprise. Once he did that, he could control where she would be pushed to. He had the perfect solution. She would not be harmed and they could possibly get her back, it all depended on what they would do to him here. He couldn’t return to Romulus of that he was sure of. He would ask for asylum. 

His thoughts returned to the woman at hand and covered her with a blanket and gave her a pillow for her head. As much as he detested the Senator, he was hired to perform an act of assassination, was paid well to accomplish the task and would do it,...just not quite the way the Senator wanted and the Senator will be caught in his own web of deceit and treachery. 

oooOooo

Spock palmed the door to their quarters and waited for Maggie to come in, he followed her and then locked the door. He quickly took her into his arms and hugged her, she allowing his hands to go down her spine to feel her unusually taut muscles. He looked at her with confusion and asked through the bond what was wrong.

She puffed a laugh and said that her parents, in particular her mother tired her. 

“K’diwa, I do not understand.” She sat down on their bed and explained, “I expected my mother to be with me concerning you and just about everything,...at least that’s what I was led to believe. Now I come to find that it is she that is the prejudiced one and my father is not. He doesn’t seem to be the one who is so egotistical and self-centered. My mother would like to take a phaser, set it on severe stun and shoot you. I’m getting mixed messages with them. Oh, and yes I read them both. Sometimes hugging can be a useful tool.” She got up and started to take her clothes off. She was going to say something else, but wanted to change the subject to something else.

“Did you happen to see the dirty looks Christine and her beau were giving you and I?”

“I did not notice, Beloved. I was too busy admiring my wife and her musicality. You must understand,...you are where she was supposed to be two years ago, but she rejected me and left. I suppose she thought I would eventually come to her.” He swallowed hard and then said,...”If I had not met you,...perhaps I would have. It is not,...it isn’t a good to live one's life alone. My brother Sybok has done this, preferring to live a nomadic existence, taking love where he can get it. I disagree,...there is always someone. When I met you I was expecting someone very serious about her work and you are.”   
Spock continued as he took his clothes off and hung his uniform up. “I found that you were telepathic and the teasing started or would you prefer to call that flirtation?” She nodded in the affirmative. For me, it was more. It was and you would think this odd for a Vulcan to admit, but it was your soul calling to me and you would not recognize it. I was at a loss.” Maggie listened to Spock and smiled a soft smile for him. She doesn’t know if it was his katra, her soul longing to be with someone, whatever it was, she was in complete agreement that it’s not good to live your life alone. As she moved over to let Spock into the bed, he put his arm around her and pulled her close.   
“You shared with me your regret that you are beyond childbearing years. Beloved, we can always adopt. My parents would have done so, when I came along. My mother sacrificed much to carry me to term. My blood was poison to her, I literally was eating her alive. Her nourishment was constantly being renewed and changed. I survived. I would not wish that for you. There are plenty of children who need a home. We can provide for them. But my regret is that your life span is different than mine.” Maggie snuggled closer to Spock after that. She knew their life spans are different, and it bothered her. She tried to make light of it.

“Perhaps the gods will be kind to us and allow us a lot of time, that we shouldn’t take anything for granted, and live like it’s our last day, sing like you sing in the bathroom. Screw like monkeys.” She started laughing. 

With that Spock rolled her on top of him and kissed her passionately. When he broke it off he asked “Will you show me once again how you frighten fish?” She started to laugh a huge belly laugh. “If you do,” he said as he rolled her over so that he was on top and his eyes darkened to almost black, “I will show you the Mutaren Nebula.” She smiled that smile that he has come to enjoy from her “Captain Spock, that’s a deal.” His half smile came into view and he with his two fingers started to stroke her body, setting it on fire.


	31. Chapter 31

After a night of making love and much needed sleep, Maggie awoke to find the other half of the bed empty. There was no sound of the shower, she assumed he was on the bridge. Reaching out to Spock she found him as she suspected on the bridge deep in scanning the anomaly. Maggie got up, showered, put her uniform on and also went up to the bridge. Stepping out from the lift, the day shift was on board, the Captain was leaning forward in his chair, looking at forward visual of this anomaly. Spock was looking into his scanner, trying to get a better fix on what was happening. Maggie stepped up to the comm, put her hand on the Captain’s shoulder and looked out into the void. 

“What the hell is that?” she whispered. The captain looked over at Maggie and smiled.

“Curiosity Maggie?” 

“More than curiosity, Jim. I can tell you one thing,...it isn’t a wormhole. I’ve been through those and they’re stable as far as height and width. Length? That’s another story and this doesn’t look stable. A wormhole for the most part is stable in design, but that’s about it. If you find a stable one, you are one lucky son-of-a-bitch.”

At this point Spock turned around having heard the conversation and asked when did Maggie go through a wormhole.

“I was piloting a small ship to a planet that requested an archaeology group to do some work for them. The unfortunate thing was it wasn’t in the Federation so my group of kids had to go without the perks of Federation protection. We got caught in a wormhole and I prayed we didn’t end up on the other side of the galaxy or worse. Turned out we were just a light year away and I got back to where I was supposed to be in about 3 days. It was one of the things I’ve been sanctioned for. They were right, I was wrong, but we got the best damn artifacts for that planet’s government. The kids were scared to death, but they learned what it’s really like to be an archaeologist. From then on, I only did Federation planets.” 

“Maggie,” said Kirk. “You’re a rebel.” 

“Yeah,” she said sheepishly. "I can see you're so surprised about that. I’ve slowed down a bit now, my bondmate makes sure that I’m a good girl.” She looked sweetly at Spock who raised an eyebrow and then turned back to his scan. Jim chuckled and asked her for recommendations. Maggie raised her eyebrow and then looked at Spock’s data, which still wasn’t a whole lot.

“I recommend we pull up to a safe distance, take cursory measurements and scans, perhaps launch a probe that will give us necessary data.” Jim nodded and then said “Spock?”

“Agreed Captain. Solid plan.” He briefly looked at his wife with an uptick of his mouth. The Captain gave orders to come to about 10,000 parsecs from the anomaly and to prepare to launch a probe into it. The order was executed and Maggie turned to leave the bridge. 

“Leaving so soon?” asked Jim. 

“Have to Jim, there’s a concert tonight and I am participating big time.” She left the bridge and decided to head down to Sickbay and annoy Leonard. The lift stopped and Dr. Chapel stepped in.

“Sickbay?” Maggie asked.

“Yes.” replied Chapel coldly.

Maggie continued. “Are you ready for tonight? I can’t wait; that is going to be a beautiful piece you’re playing.” 

“Oh, I’m ready,” said Chapel with a blank look on her face. Maggie looked and decided not to pursue a conversation, but Christine had other ideas. “You know,...he was supposed to be with me. He was mine first.” Maggie sighed. She tried to reach out to Spock, but he was busy on the bridge, so she decided to handle this “Maggie-style.” 

 

“Look,...you can’t blame me for something you created two years ago all by your little self. Spock had a chance to come back to you. He didn’t want to. Quite frankly, he didn’t have to. If he wanted he could have any woman on this ship ANYONE. But he met a woman who intrigued him,...me. And he makes me happy and I didn’t care about his past. Time to grow up Christine, this isn’t high school!” Before Christine could say anything else, the lift doors opened and Sarek walked in. He politely said good morning and then asked if Maggie would accompany him to the dining hall as he was meeting his wife there. Of course, Maggie accepted the offer,...before she blew up and did something really stupid, like have a smack down with Christine Chapel. The lift doors opened and she and Sarek left and calmly but silently walked to the captain’s dining room. There Maggie saw Amanda and Spock. 

“Did you hear me call to you?” she asked to Spock. Spock said no, he didn’t, but Sarek did. “Sarek?”

“Sometimes the familial bond becomes activated when family is near,” said Sarek. Maggie was going to question more, but Sarek put up his hand and said “I am a very strong telepath as you well know.” Maggie nodded in agreement and sat down next to Spock who offered his two fingers, which Maggie gratefully accepted. 

Leonard McCoy came in with Maggie’s parents and her grandfather. 

“I don’t know what happened but I can’t calm Christine down. What’s going on?” asked McCoy. 

“It seems I have been given kal’li’fee regarding my bonding with Spock.” Magda and McKenzie looked at each other in confusion. 

“What do I mean,...challenge.” Maggie smiled and looked directly at her mother. “Back in the day, before the reformation, before the writings of Surak,...when Vulcan males took a bondmate a ceremony, which is still done, a wedding ceremony,...at the fullness of time would be performed and the option of a challenge would be issued. Usually, no one accepted the challenge, the ceremony was performed and the loving couple was then led to,...ceremonial grounds for their honeymoon.” Spock looked at his father and raised his eyebrow. “If there is a challenge to the union,...whoever challenges will fight to the death. Her parents looked at her horrified and Maggie said “Don’t worry,...kal’li’fee is rarely done,....although your first marriage was challenged was it not?” Sarek knew she was torturing her parents and immediately put a stop to it. 

“Maggie, you should be ashamed,....Do not frighten your mother. It is illogical and not the person I know you to be.” McCoy leaned over and whispered to her, “Maggie he doesn’t know how far you will go.”

“You’re wrong Doctor,...I know exactly how far she will go. Now I want you to promise you will not provoke the Doctor Chapel. She is not herself, we know that. Someone has invaded her mind and is controlling her. I would advise caution as she seems to want to exact revenge on not just you Maggie, but your family. I would suggest that we stick close together.”

“I’m sorry Mom and Dad. You’re in the middle of this and shouldn’t be. Seriously, I wish you had gone straight on to Starbase 24. You don’t need this. Say, I don’t know about y’all, but I could use some grub. Anyone hungry?”

“What is grub?” asked Sarek.

“Grub is slang for food, Sir,” said Dr. McCoy. “Maggie, you’re always hungry.” 

“I know and lately more so. Probably nerves. All this nonsense with Christine, parents coming at the last minute has given me an appetite.”

“Well,” chimed in Maggie’s mother. “You shouldn’t eat too much, dear. You’ll spoil your girlish figure.” Maggie was about to spout off at her mother, when she closed her eyes, swallowed and then steepled her fingers.

“Mother, the only one who is concerned with or has even seen my “girlish figure” is that Vulcan over there. I can assure you he quite satisfied with my figure just as it is.” Spock looked over at Maggie, raised an eyebrow and then went back to talking with his parents. “But you know what?” She confided to her mother as she grabbed her arm and walked her to the buffet, and took a plate for her mother and herself, “I could go for a nice juicy hamburger, with a couple of strips of bacon, some cheddar cheese, with tomato and a sourdough bun. Except I would probably offend my husband and my other parents.” She instead took some salad and asked the chef to lay strips of steak on it and sprinkle with bleu cheese. There she took the plate, sat down and began to eat. McCoy sat down with her and her mother and looked to see Maggie eating the steak.

“Well, I’m glad to see you eating some meat, but I thought you were weaning yourself off of animal proteins.” McCoy looked mildly concerned. 

“I had a craving if you will. I’m probably just nervous about tonight and that altercation I had with Christine in the lift. Oooh I mentioned that before. Sorry.” Now McCoy normally doesn’t run a medscan at a dinner table and wasn’t going to now, except that T’riva the healer was also there. She had mentioned something to Leonard and he said it’s not impossible. Now he was going to check to see if their theory had merit. So he quietly got up and stood behind her and ran a scan. He looked at the readings, cleared the machine and did it again. The readings were the same.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” said McCoy to himself quietly. He quickly located Spock and asked to speak to him.

“Doctor, what you need to say to me you can say in front of my parents.”

“I’m not worried about you and Sarek,...it’s Amanda I’m worried about. Ma’am you have to put on your best Vulcan game face, ‘cause what I’m about to tell you is gonna make you very happy.” Amanda looked at Sarek and said she would try.  
“Spock, I ran a med scan on your wife because she is eating a lot and because your healer suggested that I do so. Spock, your wife is about a month pregnant.”

“Doctor, Maggie assures me she is past the age of childbearing. Perhaps your instruments need to be re-calibrated.”

“Spock when a woman enters menopause, her body, her hormones change, again. When she became fertile everything changed and now it’s changing again. The female body, especially one that’s not been pregnant, makes a last ditch effort and floods the body with hormones, viable eggs in the hope that there will be sperm there to fertilize. I guess you can say, you did your job and did it well.” 

McCoy eyes were twinkling with delight. He could say he explained the birds and the bees to Spock. Amanda and Sarek looked at each other. They were delighted with the news. They were to become grandparents. Spock swallowed hard. “Does she know?”

“No, and I would let her be the one to tell you. Any day she’s gonna put 2 and 2 together and if I know Maggie, she’ll want to be the one to tell you. So all of you have to not know until she tells you. Hope y’all can keep a secret.”

Suddenly Maggie came up from behind and put her arms around Spock’s waist, which caused his eyes to open wide and also caused Sarek and Amanda to look,...surprised. He touched her hands and heard her stifle a giggle. She said through their bond //Beloved, I know. I’m a month pregnant.// He turned around and asked how as he offered her his two fingers which she took.

“Sarek, you may be a very strong telepath and you taught me just about everything I know,...but my Grandfather taught me how to eavesdrop psychically. Not that I went into anyone’s mind, I just listened to my husband’s reactions and putting it together that you Doctor ran a scan twice on me behind my back and I haven’t been feeling my best,...voila!” 

“Good! At least now we don’t have to keep a secret,” said Amanda. 

“Oh, but I’m afraid you do. I don’t want my parents to know just yet. If they find out I’m preggers, my mother will insist she remain with me and trust me,...” she looked directly at Spock. “You don’t want that.” 

“Very well,” said Spock. “However no more debates with Christine Chapel. Do you understand?” 

“Yes, Spock.”

“Well that’s a first,” said McCoy. “First time I’ve ever seen Maggie back down and be contrite.” 

“The last time too, Lenny.” She winked as the two left the dining room, he had to get back to the bridge and she had to go look at what she was wearing tonight for the concert. “You may tell Jim, but you have to keep him quiet about it. Spock,...she asked with some trepidation in her voice. “Are you okay with this?”

“Ashayam, I am more than “okay” with this. I am,...how is that idiom,....”over the moon. We’re going to be parents. You have given me such a gift. If I would permit myself an emotion, I would be laughing with happiness. Instead,...” He reached for her psy points and showed her how much this meant to him. It was so strong she almost passed out, but she held him and said she understood and whispered in his ear ‘I love you so very much.’ They touched their foreheads to each other and then parted ways. Maggie got into another lift and made her way to her quarters where she had her uniforms hung. As she came in and the door shut, she leaned up against the wall and rubbed her tummy.

“We’re gonna be alright you and I, little one. Your Daddy is gonna take such good care of us.” 

She opened the closet door where her dress uniforms were and pulled one out in particular with a pair of high heels. The uniform was a gown she had specially designed and approved by Starfleet for when she did special musical functions. The skirt part of the gown was a deep black straight pencil-style skirt that showed an air of sophistication when one walked. It looked like it hugged her so that she couldn’t move, but in fact she could move quite nicely in it. The top was a sleeveless white lace blouse that was intricate in design. The jacket which she only wore when she had to show rank was in a “matador” style, white with gold trim and a mandarin collar. Her pips would be there and finally there was a blue sash which went around her waist to denote what department she was in. Maggie put the gown on with her heels and looked in the mirror. She was happy that Junior hadn’t pooched her stomach as of yet, but no eating,...to keep that look going. She thought to herself Spock will have the privilege of taking this off of her tonight. Just the thought of that sent shivers throughout her body and consequently reached Spock on the bridge. She heard one word in her mind from him,...Beloved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it seems I'm putting in every possible situation for Spock and his bondmate, from parents coming aboard to becoming pregnant. First off, parent angst is always fun and then having a pregnancy is even better. There is a reason for all I promise. There will even be forgiveness big time towards the end. thank you for your patience as I put chapter after chapter up. Hope you enjoy this. 
> 
>  
> 
> LLAP


	32. Chapter 32

The rest of the day passed without incident. The crew of the Enterprise was buzzing with excitement in the anticipation of this classical concert to be performed by the crew of the Enterprise. There would be various solo artists playing their favorites, not to mention a full symphony orchestra that was rehearsed and ready to as Maggie put it “rock and roll.” 

Maggie insisted on being alone to get ready for the performance as she would do for any performance. She liked to get her head on straight and to be centered. She wanted nothing to stand in the way of a great performance. Afterall, there was no pressure,...she had her husband, her new family, her parents, and her space family watching. Nah, no pressure at all. She was directing the opening performance of the Overture to Die Fledermaus by Strauss. Then later on accompanying Christine Chapel on her solo piece on piano. If anything, that was one performance she was hopeful would pull off without any incident. All the while thinking about the concert, she was patting and rubbing her tummy and talking to her unborn child. Her final performance would be singing “Song to the Moon “ from the opera Rusalka by Dvorak. She thought about the words as she put her gown on and then heard a knocking at her door. She pressed the comm button and asked who it was, it was William and Terry, her aides that put the concert together for her. Maggie opened the door and asked them to come in. Now they had seen the Commander in her dress uniform before, but William could not resist giving her a “wolf whistle.” 

“Flattery will get you nowhere, William. What’s wrong?”

“It’s Doctor Chapel. She doesn’t want to perform. She’s frightened.”

“Stage fright more than likely. Do you know where she is?”

“She’s just outside in the corridor.”

“Well bring her in for Pete’s sake.” Maggie opened her door and Dr. Chapel tentatively walked in.”

“Christine, what’s wrong?” Maggie asked.

“I’m getting terribly nervous I don’t think I should play.” Maggie paced the floor and then asked her to sit down. “Do you know the piece? Christine said she knew the piece like the back of her hand.

“Would you be more comfortable with another accompanist?”

“No, that would make things awkward and you do such a nice job of accompanying.” 

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I don’t know,...I’m just nervous.” Christine paused to look at Maggie’s “dress uniform.”   
“Wow, that’s some gown.” Maggie got up to model it, complete with the jacket, high heels and conductor’s baton.

“I use this for special functions and diplomatic affairs. You can get one made yourself, Starfleet will sanction it. As long as you have a place for your rank (she pointed to her pips on her collar), the gold braiding of command and the department color, which is a blue sash for science. Comm Starfleet taylors when we get to Starbase 24, give them your measurements and order a gown like this as a dress uniform. Take Nyota with you and get a discount if she would like one. Hell, I am all for spreading the wealth.” 

“You know what,...I will. Thank you Commander, I feel so much better now, but I think I will wear my regulation dress uniform for tonight, which is not too long from now.” Chapel got up and thanked Maggie once again for talking with her and left her quarters. Maggie looked at the chrono on the wall and saw she had to move it. So she curled her hair and left it long and flowing much like the days of Hollywood glamour. Rita Hayworth came to mind, slipped on her high heels and put her jacket. Grabbing her conductor’s baton, she walked with what she called “Command style elegance” to the lift and hoped she wouldn’t run into anyone in particular. She did. It was the Captain. The lift door opened and he took one look at Maggie who did her best imitation of a Vulcan stare at her commanding officer, he let out a whistle that just went down-in-scale. He stepped into the lift and said “Concert hall.” 

“Wow, Wow! Maggie. Has Spock seen you in that?”

“No, Captain, he hasn’t. He won’t see me until I take the podium to conduct.” 

“ To conduct?” Jim was a little confused. “Read your programme Captain. I’m a woman of many talents.” The lift door opened and Maggie exited to go into the concert hall via a side door. The captain found others milling about just outside the door slowly filing in. He, Bones and Spock were sitting with the Vulcan delegation along with Maggie’s parents and grandparents. Fortunately, they had a very good view of the stage. As they slowly made their way to their seats, Spock was struck with the high frequency of nerves exhibited among the crew. Then he watched Dr. Chapel as she went to the back stage with violin in hand. He nodded to her and she smiled, but her mind he thought was on her performance. He was right. Her mind was on a performance,...but not the one she was playing in. 

Maggie saw the orchestra and gave them a little pep talk. “Just remember,...we aren’t pros, but we sure as hell sound like it. We sound like we’ve been playing together forever. Don’t forget, the guy on the right, the person you are paired with turns the page. Go out there now, get comfortable and show the diplomats what we at Starfleet are made of. You soloists, remember you are the star of that piece, we the accompanists whether the orchestra or pianist or whatever, we are there to provide an accompaniment. We’re there to help you shine. Okay, let’s go! As she watched them go on stage and get seated and tuned, she said to herself //I wish there was someone to give me some encouragement.// She heard her name and turned around half expecting to see Spock, but saw

“Dad!” McKenzie Stuart had spent his life waiting to go on stage and thought he would stop to congratulate his daughter. He took a look at his daughter and realized she was no longer a little girl. It was one of those moments a parent will have when they think perhaps they should have spent more time at home instead of focusing so much on career. 

“You are absolutely stunning. Can you move in that?” 

“Yes, very well,” replied Maggie. She suddenly saw her father as aging before her eyes and got a sadness in that she didn’t follow in his footsteps after all. “You don’t look so bad yourself in your tux. I’m glad you came backstage.” 

“I’m glad you didn’t tell me to get lost.” Maggie turned red, embarrassed at the way she treated her father in the past. “I’m sorry. I was a bit of a creep of a kid.” 

“There’s nothing to forgive, little one. Remember, I used to call you that?” “Commander Stuart, 2 minutes to podium,” said William. 

“Have a good time out there, Mags. By the way, I think you and Spock are going to be wonderful parents.” She looked at her father and asked, “Who told you!” He smiled and pointed to his head and said, “You always forgot your father’s side of the family, the magic Scott side.” 

“You never told me! You’re telepathic? Why didn’t you say something.” “Commander, it’s time,” said William.

“You were having fun with your grandfather, I was focused on my career. You were in love with aliens. Better you should have fun than to fear what you have and that is a gift from both sides. Go! Be my daughter and strut your stuff.” He left the backstage and Maggie said “Damn!” She looked towards the stage, took a deep breath and exhaled. //Okay Maggie, Showtime!!// 

She gracefully came out on stage and stood by the podium while listening to the applause. As she looked over the audience, she placed the Senator and someone she was not aware of. Nothing she could do now, but she would ask Christine later. Then she panned quickly over to the Vulcan delegation where she saw Sarek, Amanda, the Captain, and Dr. McCoy with the rest of available senior staff next to them, and then there was Spock. She had her special smile for him. He raised his eyebrows and sent to her through the bond she was beautiful. She lowered her eyes in receiving the message and then looked back up again. She ascended the podium, raised her arms and baton and began the evening. 

The evening began with the overture to “Die Fledermaus” by Strauss. After appropriate applause, Maggie took the microphone and introduced herself and the orchestra. She welcomed the diplomats, officers, and crewmen and women of the Enterprise to this special concert in honor of the Conference being held at Starbase 24. She then turned over the podium to William and the programme continued. As she waited for the next time to go on stage, she couldn’t help but notice Christine Chapel with her beau Harmon Wainwright. 

//Looks like they’re getting cozy// She thought. At last her accompaniment with Christine came up and she took to the stage and sat behind the piano and Christine strolled out with her violin. She turned to the piano and Maggie noticed she had that same blank expression on her face when she picked the fight in the lift yesterday, but Maggie didn’t think much of it. They began and Christine played beautifully, never missing a step and getting a standing ovation at the end of her performance. Even Maggie stood up and applauded her. 

Finally, Maggie’s turn came. She was at the end of the concert, which ran a little over 45 minutes. The lights darkened in the hall and a lone spotlight was shone on stage next to the conductor’s podium. She took off her jacket and sash to perform this piece in a plain black and white look,...the moon against a black sky. She came out into the spotlight and the orchestra began the song. She sang it in Czech, putting as much feeling and emotion as she could into the song without breaking down and crying herself. As she was singing she could feel Spock’s eyes on her, indeed he was mesmerized by her music and her tone of her voice. He never knew she studied voice or managed to have such a lovely one at that. But there was something else he was picking up and that was extreme hatred,...but from where? His mind touched his father and Sarek said he was feeling it too, as well as other Vulcans in their party. As she sang Moon, please don’t disappear, don’t disappear, don’t disappear,...the lights went off and then slowly came up to reveal her head down and slowly she brought her head up with tears trailing down her face,...she was also feeling the intense hatred, but she knew where it was coming from. She looked out and was also receiving a standing ovation and saw there was a red alert status in view. She caught the Captain’s eye and looked towards the red lights blinking. He saw and got her message and ran to an intercom. He called for Spock and the two of them along with McCoy left and ran to the bridge. People were coming up to her and congratulating her on her performance and she was shaking hands and trying to be gracious, but she had a funny feeling there was some serious stuff happening and didn’t want to stay in the hall. She wanted to take her dress uniform off and get into her regs and work the bridge. 

Maggie finally got off the stage and went to the closest lift. The door opened and there was Christine with a wild look in her eyes holding a phaser in her hand.

“Christine,...what are you doing? Put that phaser down.” She tried to back away, but Christine caught her arm and pulled her into the lift. Maggie was desperate to get away to protect her child and herself. She called to Spock through the bond. Hell, she called to anyone that could hear her.

“Finally! I have you right where I want you. You believed all that crap I fed you this morning,...well now it’s my turn. Spock is mine,...he always will be. He doesn’t love you he loves me. And now you're going to pay,...”

“Pay,...PAY FOR WHAT!!” Maggie was pissed as hell now. It was her life and her unborn child that was at risk. “Let me out of here!”

“NO, we’re going for a little ride, computer,...Bridge!” Christine held the phaser on Maggie as she tried to think of some way to get out of the way of possible phaser fire and possibly talk her back down. At least they were going to the bridge, Jim and Spock not to mention McCoy would be there. Spock would kill her if she harmed me, that she was sure of. But this had to be the conditioning she found. She was considering her options if Christine fired, she could make a dive to the floor and Spock would cover her, but DAMN what a mess this is.   
The lift doors opened Maggie was pushed out on the floor of the bridge. Kirk turned around and jumped up out of his seat. 

“Don’t anyone move! She’s got a phaser on me!” Spock who was behind Christine attempted to come up from behind and nerve pinch her, but she caught his movement out of the corner of her eye and turned on him. Maggie gasped and shouted “NO!” while Christine’s grip got tighter on her. 

“You see Spock, she’s come between us for too long. I’m going to get rid of Commander Marguerite Stuart for good so that we can finally be together.” 

Christine’s eyes were glassy and bloodshot. Clearly someone had control of her and she was just a puppet in this drama that was being played out. 

“Christine,” said Spock. “There is no us,...I am bonded to Marguerite. I am quite satisfied with our bonded relationship. I care for her. There can be nothing between you and I.”  
As he was talking, he was watching Kirk try to maneuver his way around to grab Christine’s phaser. McCoy was also trying to get to where he could grab Maggie. But then he noticed a distortion being formed in the front of the bridge. 

“Captain, an anomaly is forming inside this bridge.” 

“It’s a prison cell for you. You’ll never be found. You think you can change and alter lives from your students to people on this ship, well, not anymore!” 

“Christine, who told you that?” Maggie asked. “Who said I altered students lives?” She was hoping she would get a confession from Christine and she didn’t disappoint.

“Harmon told me all about what you did to his son, ruined his chances for a life with starfleet.” 

While this was happening, more people came to the bridge. Sarek was there to help as was Maggie’s grandfather. 

“His son did it to himself. Christine you’re being used. Put the phaser down and let us get you what you need.”

“I NEED SPOCK!!!” 

“He’s unavailable,” Maggie spat out. 

“THEN SO ARE YOU!!” Christine screamed and pushed Maggie into the vortex and she vanished. 

“NOOO!!’ cried Spock. The distortion closed. He reached for her but too late as Maggie screamed his name and vanished. She was gone. Spock fell to the floor in shock. He closed his eyes waiting for the bond to dissolve because Maggie would be dead and the life of his unborn child was lost,......but nothing happened. Spock overcome with emotion was about to lose it. He looked at Christine with eyes that would be considered murderous. He stood up with his face in a superb mask of nothing. He walked over to Christine, took the phaser from her and grabbed her arm like a vice and held her. They thought he was going to mind meld with her, but no he did not. 

“Security! Take her to the brig.” He looked at her and said with absolutely no emotion at all: “You have murdered my wife and my unborn child. Yes, Christine, my wife was pregnant. We were going to be,.....we were starting a family. You think you have destroyed us, you have not. You want me to feel something for you? I feel nothing for you, which is worse than feeling hate, feeling an emotion. One eventually gets over an emotion, but logically one does not get over nothing because there is nothing to get over. Get her out of my sight.”

Christine had no idea what was happening. As far as she knew Spock just professed his undying love. In all the excitement, no one noticed a lone Vulcan observing the whole drama. He did not know the Commander was pregnant. It brought forth memories of his own wife who was pregnant and begged for her life and the life of her unborn child as the Romulan death squad pointed disruptors and killed her. It was then that the Subcommander decided his talents at the Tal Shiar were at an end and he would hire out as a mercenary. He had, in his opinion nothing else to live for. But to steal another man’s life and his happiness, this he could not see. He quickly made mental notes of the bridge and was ready to leave, when he felt his arm being pulled. 

“Now, I know every crewmember on this ship and I know all the Vulcan delegation who are here. Who the hell are you?” It was McCoy. “JIM! Who is this?” McCoy was ready to rip his throat out, which caught the attention of Spock as well. Spock was over there in a flash as well as Kirk. 

“Please, I will tell you everything you need to know, but I must have asylum. I am a Romulan from the Tal Shiar. Your wife,...is alive. She is in the future. These are jail cells the Tal Shiar created for their political prisoners. No, Captain Spock she isn’t in an actual jail cell. I reprogrammed an existing space and time cell to project her into the future. It will be up to her to find a way back. I will not tell you anything else until I am granted asylum. I can also deprogram the woman Christine. But again, asylum must be given. I will also give testimony to the treachery of Senator Wainwright. That I will give right now. Here are recordings of conversations we had. The Tal Shiar are a secret police if you will. Two of your nations on earth had something like it in your past,...Russia with the KGB and Hitler with the Gestapo.” He gave the recordings to Captain Kirk. I hope this proves useful.” 

“Yes, so do I. In the meantime, take him ah,...your name?”

“Subcommander Tomov.” 

“Yes, take him to the brig.”


	33. Chapter 33

Maggie screamed Spock’s name as she was pushed into the distortion field and saw the Enterprise bridge and any hope of being rescued slowly become like a picture that got smaller and smaller as you moved away from it. Maggie noticed she could still breathe,...or at least she thought she was. Maybe it was an instantaneous death and her brain functions had yet to shut down. She also realized she was floating or flying,...something like being propelled forward to somewhere. Her last conscious thought was //fascinating.// What she felt was a lifetime actually took seconds as a noise of static and a light at the end of the time tunnel appeared, opened up and unceremoniously dropped Maggie onto a carpeted floor. The thump of her landing roused her out of unconsciousness. She moaned and tried to get up, but couldn’t. 

The people who sat around her, were to say the least surprised at her arrival. They heard a humming or buzzing sound and then a flash and there was Maggie on their floor. She tried to get up but couldn’t, but she tried again. This time she felt two pairs of hands try to steady her and help her. Maggie looked at one hand and noticed it was very pale and didn’t feel like skin. It felt,...well artificial. She looked up to see who was connected to the hand and saw what appeared to be a man, an artificial man with very pale skin, hair slicked back and slight jerkiness in his movements, not human at all, but what really caught her was:

“Yellow eyes?? Are you real?”

“Yes, I am. I am an Android.”

“An Android. Well, Android do you have a name or identification?”

“Yes, my name is Data.” 

“Data. Whoever named you, I applaud their innate sense of irony.” Maggie thought to herself, // at least the natives are friendly//.

“Are you alright Ma’am?” asked the owner of the other pair of hands. She turned to see a tall good looking man in a red and black uniform. He had dark brown/black hair with a beard and blue eyes, which reminded Maggie of her friend Leonard McCoy. She studied the gentleman’s uniform and chuckled as she was led to a chair that was occupied by a woman with long black hair and wore a blue uniform of sorts. 

“I’m okay, I guess,” Maggie looked at his collar and saw 3 full pips and continued “Commander. I’m sorry,...I’m a little overdressed, but I left my regular starfleet uniform back at my ship.” The Commander asked her which ship and Maggie just said the Enterprise. They all looked at one another.

“Excuse me,...” said Data. “But this is the Enterprise. Are you a crewman here?” 

Maggie looked at “yellow eyes” and the others who were in that room and then the room itself. “Oh no, this isn’t the Enterprise, the Captain isn’t here and neither is the first officer Spock.”  
“Spock?” said the woman with the almost black eyes. “You mean Ambassador Spock?”

“Ambassador? He did it, he left Star Fleet. Yes, must be the same one. Where is and who is your Captain?” 

“He’s enroute, Ma’am.” 

“I’m here Number 1,” as the Captain regarded the visitor in the gown. “I’m Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the starship Enterprise.” He held out his hand for her to shake and she took it up and felt,....something familiar in his psyche. 

“Commander Marguerite Stuart of the starship Enterprise.” The Captain looked at her and then asked her to follow him into his ready room. She entered through a doorway and was impressed by this lovely hide-away that this Captain had. Jim’s ready room was not even close to this. She sat down on the pro-offered chair provided by Picard and he also asked his first officer into this meeting as well. “Captain, after this chat, I would like to see your CMO, just to make sure everything is okay with me.” 

The Captain proceeded to get a cup of tea from the replicator and then asked if the Commander would like a cup of tea, to which she said yes. He then replicated another cup and served her with it. As Maggie sipped she became aware that the other Commander was staring at her. She smiled at him and then after sipping her tea, she asked the Captain what did he want to know,...besides how she got there. She told them the entire story and that any facts they wanted to check, they should tie into Starfleet and its records concerning the mission we were on, perhaps obtain the personal logs of the Captain and his first officer. Maggie started to feel sluggish and asked if she could be taken to SickBay now. The Captain agreed and asked Counselor Troi to escort their guest to SickBay. As the Counselor and Maggie got into the lift, Maggie broke into conversation.

“Your Captain doesn’t believe me.” The Counselor looked at Maggie and tried to reach out to her mind and was surprised to see a bond there. “The thing is,...I don’t know if I could believe me either if I were in his shoes. It’s a pretty far-fetched story, but I am telling him the truth.”

“I’m sure the Captain wants to make sure all the facts have been examined before he makes a decision.” They arrived at SickBay where their CMO was waiting for them. Maggie was attended to by a tallish red haired woman called Dr. Crusher. The Doctor had Maggie sit on the biobed and she began her scan. 

“Ok,...everything looks good and junior is just fine.” Dr. Crusher smiled. She loved babies and pregnancies. “If you were staying here, I would prescribe the necessary vitamins and nutrients, but I get the feeling you will be trying to get back to your century?” 

“Boy, I thought the grapevine was pretty good on my Enterprise. You could always count on certain people to spread the news. I don’t know how long I will be here, so perhaps it would be wise to prescribe. You do know this is a Vulcan child.”

“Yes,...I do, and it is yours and the Ambassador's?" Maggie nodded in the affirmative and added, "Just so you know, I am his bondmate."

“Commander, how did you meet Ambassador Spock?” asked the Counselor.

“Well, I met him when he was Captain Spock, the first officer of the Enterprise. Dr. McCoy comm’d me to ask me out to dinner in San Francisco along with Jim Kirk and his first officer.” Maggie then proceeded to tell stories of how they all met including bringing up the story of Spock’s random thought.” 

“They came to my home, McCoy dropped his stuff on the counter, grabbed and gave me a wowser of a kiss. I had just been told that my position at the Academy was being forfeited for the time being until they could bring me home. I knew that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, so I accepted the transfer to the Enterprise, but I was sad about it and started to cry in Leonard’s arms. He passed me off to Jim who also hugged me, and there was Spock and I said to him “I didn’t know him well enough, but when I did, I would give him a hug, knowing full well that Vulcans don't like to be touched.” 

“She picked up through telepathy that I much preferred the kiss she was giving the Doctor.” Maggie looked to where a familiar voice came from and saw Spock in Ambassadorial robes, looking a lot older, but still wise and handsome as ever and still with a twinkle in his eyes.

“And I said “really? I will have to file that to be collected on at a later time. He was totally surprised that there was a human female who was telepathic. Try as she might , when she laid eyes on Spock, there was first a little shock in how much he had aged, but still,...her eyes welled up and whispered softly "Spock."

“Ashayam, I have missed thee.” He went to Maggie immediately and offered two fingers, which she took and opened the bond. She closed her eyes in recognition of the bond as did he. “How long?” she asked him.

“Seventy five years. K’diwa.”

“That cannot be. I’ve only been gone a half hour.”

“For you,...it is a half hour, for me seventy five years.” 

“I’m sorry, Spock. I am so sorry.” Maggie started to cry and Spock immediately sent her comfort and love and gratefulness she was alive. “And our child?” he softly asked. He was almost afraid to. 

“Ambassador, everything is fine. No problems.” Hearing that news, Spock composed himself back to his stoic appearance.

“May I take my wife then, Doctor.” Before Dr. Crusher could answer, Captain Picard came into SickBay. 

“Ambassador, there is a report of an anomaly forming nearby Starbase 24. Could it be at the coordinates where you first saw an anomaly 75 years ago.”

“Captain, you would have to look up the mission records and log entries of that time period. I don’t recall off hand. But now if you would excuse me, I wish to rediscover my wife and find out once again what makes her tick. Although I think that will take me a long time, I barely got to know her the first time and now, it seems I may have less time. My wife,...attend.” Maggie jumped off the biobed, put her high heels together and carried them and lifted the skirt of her gown as she walked behind Spock. 

“She walks behind him? That’s odd,” remarked Dr. Crusher.

“It is the Vulcan way, Beverly,” replied Picard. “It isn’t done out of disrespect, it hearkens back to their ancient times when the woman in essence protected the male during his “time,” and she was protected, treated like a rare jewel and very special. It is always in defense of her. She pledged to come to him when the Pon Farr initiates and saves him from his mating biology. Of course, they are bonded when they are children around 7 years, I think. During that first Pon Farr a woman can challenge the bonding and the male has to fight her champion to the death in order to keep her. It’s quite fascinating, but they are still loathe to talk about private matters.” 

“How do you know so much, Captain?” asked Counsellor Troi.

“Apparently, when I mind melded with Sarek, we shared a lot of information that would normally not have been shared. I think that was because of the disease. His shielding was terribly weak at that time." Picard chuckled. "He was also a very active man sexually. It seems the older a Vulcan male gets, the more shall we say "creative” he becomes.” Picard looked pointedly at Beverly Crusher who suddenly looked away from Jean-Luc’s eyes. “It certainly makes for interesting late night reading. If you will excuse me, I need to get back on the bridge.” He turned and walked out of Sickbay, leaving Dr. Crusher and Counsellor Troi with their mouths open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Mother's Day! Maggie is none the worse for her unexpected travel through time and space, and Junior is thriving. Spock has aged, but like fine wine gets better with age. Enjoy!


	34. Reunited and it feels so good,...

The Ambassador and his wife walked slowly to the lift and Spock gave the deck level. Once inside the lift, Spock said “hold” and took Maggie into his arms and softly brushed her lips with a kiss and then put his hand to her psi points and did the same again. After being kissed, her head lifted back and he began to kiss and caress her neck. He then stopped and whispered “to be continued in our quarters.” She smiled and nodded.

“Computer, resume.” 

“By the way,...” as she looked him up and down with approval “I like your new duds.”

“They are the duds as you call them of an Ambassador. They were my father’s and I had them tailored to fit me.”

“Indeed,” said Maggie. Spock opened the door to their quarters and let Maggie walk in first. As she looked over the living area, she couldn’t help but whistle. 

“Wow, this is what Ambassadors get for quarters?” Spock shrugged his shoulders and answered: 

“This is what their senior staff get. It is what you would have been assigned to. Fortunately, I found you in Sickbay and then I would not have to come to your quarters in my robe. Come, look at this, Marguerite.” Spock took her hand and they walked to the bathroom.

“A tub,” said Maggie looking at it and then noticing that there were candles lit and the aroma of healing incense. In the tub were flowers floating in the water. Maggie looked at Spock and noticed him staring at her intensely. His eyes were very dark with his desire for her.  
Then she heard him sigh as if resigned to something.

“Spock,” she said softly. “What’s wrong.” 

“For 75 years I looked for you. Many wanted me to break my bond with you, including my father. We did not speak to each other for many years and I was not there to meld with him when he died. I do not think I was meant to not speak with my father in anger,...yes anger,...an emotion. My father and I were very stubborn in our opinions, but I do not think he would have wanted to continue an argument that neither one of us would have won. He held such a high regard for you.” Spock continued to stare at her and then became almost tentative in his reflections. 

“I also know that this reunion will be brief. You must go back. My father once told me that I must follow my heart where you are concerned, that logic dictates an emotional response. Logically, I must let you go back,....but my heart says to never let you go again.”

“Spock, I know this is hard for both of us,” she said as she started to undo his robes. “But I know I must go back. Who knows what this child may do in those 75 years. Who knows what you and I together would have done during that time. All I know is that this timeline is wrong because of the potential you and I were denied that night to make a difference. My parents died knowing their youngest was lost, your father died being angry at you. In my way of thinking, that’s too many negatives,...Spock our lives are not negative, our bonding was never negative. T’Pau’s planning and you know she had a plan, in my estimation was to alter the course of Vulcan. Right now, I’m here, when I go back I will still be here, but in a different way. “Besides,” she said as she dropped his robe to the floor, revealing a still well muscled male with a gray patch of chest hair. Her desire was growing in leaps and bounds. “I really want to take a nice bath and I really want you to bathe with me.”

“Are you sure?” Spock was getting a little nervous as he thought about the age difference and how much he had,...changed in appearance. Although the thought that she had invited him to join her,...“I am older. I may not,....”he paused for a moment,...”I may not please you.” 

“How about you take this gown off me, like I wanted you to do that night and we get in the tub.” Without any further hesitation, he took her gown off slowly so that he could relish in her soft skin. Her gown dropped to the floor revealing her nakedness that took Spock’s breath away. He noted that her breasts were fuller than before, deciding it was because of the pregnancy. He would take extra good care of touching her if she is sensitive. He stripped the rest of his clothing off, stood there naked before her and held her hand as she stepped into the tub along with himself. He leaned back and then had her lean back on him, feeling his heat and desire permeate throughout her body. 

She just sighed and thought //Think of nothing but the now, Spock, accept the love, the bond we share; our child, accept everything that we do and feel for each other right now.//

//I will K’diwa, but I am sensing another consciousness.// Maggie smiled and giggled.

//That’s junior, I do believe. I have been talking to him since I’ve been aware of that consciousness.// “Here now, give me your hand.” He gave her his hand and she put it on her tummy as well as her own. What Spock saw in his mind brought tears to his eyes. He felt the joy of their child knowing there was a Mom and Dad present. 

“Fascinating.”

Maggie sighed and leaned back into Spock as he turned to sponging her body and pressing his lips to her neck. “Who would ever think that Vulcans are such wonderful romantics. I could stay in this tub with you forever.” 

“Then I would not accomplish my work task and planets and governments would fall apart. All because my wife wanted to soak in the bathtub with me,” he said with an uptick of his lips. Maggie with one quick movement turned herself around and reached down to touch his growing member. “Hmmm,” she vocally sighed. Maggie got into his lap and slowly sat herself down on his lok, adjusting to him being inside her once again. It caught him by surprise and he reveled and cried out to be inside of her once again. “K’diwa,” he whispered as he began to kiss downward towards her breasts. She leaned her head up to expose herself more to his lips. He kissed her breast cautiously as to not disturb her if she was sensitive and she groaned with delight. Then he did something quite acrobatic. He stood up and held her to him while she wrapped her legs around his waist. She smiled as he opened the door of the bathroom and effortlessly walked to the bedroom with Maggie moving on him in such a way that he found it almost difficult to walk, but Spock made it to the bed. He laid her down so that he was still inside of her, but then pulled out. Maggie whimpered in protest, but saw he had her legs now up and around his shoulders. 

“Now I will show you what happens when you have been lost to me for 75 years.”

“And you thought you were too old for me to even attempt to satisfy my needs. Spock, it’s all about your needs too,” said Maggie as she ran her fingers through his grayish hair. He looked at her with a lust in his eyes. She loved that look of his and he proceeded south and began to lick and suck while sticking two fingers inside her. She moaned and called his name as he slowly moved his fingers in and out of her while sucking her. She came almost at once, enjoying the pleasure he gave her. Spock looked into her eyes and whispered through the bond.

//You will tell me if I am too rough. I have no wish to hurt you or our child.// 

//Beloved, was that a command? Oh, our child is very comfortable in my womb. He will be alright.//

//It was a request T’hy’la, not a command and,...he?// Maggie just smiled and said.

“He.”

“We have a son?” Maggie nodded and said simply “yes.”

“Then I will be slow and diligent in my ministrations of pleasure to your body,” said Spock as he slowly entered her and waited for her body to adjust.”

Maggie purred satisfaction as he did. “Spock, did you know that with age comes wisdom?”

“And in my case, great love that has been bottled up and needs to be poured out over you in a short time, but nevertheless love.” He kissed her and then ever so slowly began to pour 75 years of longing, desire, and oh yes, love onto and into his beloved wife.


	35. Chapter 35

On the bridge of the Enterprise - D, the Captain was looking over the latest data of the anomaly in his ready room. He heard the door chime and spoke “come!” Guinan swept into his ready room and stopped at the foot of his desk.

“Excuse me Captain for interrupting you, but I need to speak with you,” she began. Guinan was a very close friend of the Captain. Her species are very special in that they see things outside the normal avenues of time and space. No one really knows her age,...she prefers to call herself “timeless,” has no regard whatsoever for “Q” and the Continuum, and prefers to educate and guide the human species through their own actions. Most of all, Guinan’s race are a race of “listeners.” Picard studied his ship’s “Bartender” as she made herself quite comfortable on the couch in his room.

“Very well, Guinan. What can I do for you?” he asked. 

“I understand we have a visitor from another timeline here,...the Vulcan Ambassador’s wife. She was an archaeologist before she met him.”

“Yes, that’s the story she is giving us,...”

“Stop! You don’t believe her? With everything that you have seen and everything that has happened to you personally, you don’t believe her?” Picard didn’t know what to say. 

“Granted,...”he got up and walked around his desk to the replicator for more tea. “This ship and its crew and myself have seen things that defy the normal rules of physics, time, space and dimension and she did appear out of nowhere on the bridge. But how do I know she’s not one of the Continuum here to make life miserable for us, for the Ambassador."

“Because I know her.”

“You know her?”

“I met her once on a transport ship back to earth a long time ago. She was taking her class back to earth after a summer dig on Vulcan. Her lineage is unique. She has to go back, Picard! If she doesn’t, the timeline as we know it will be forever altered and things will not go well. Don’t ask me how I know,...I just know. And I do know she will die because of the inconsistency, along with that child. Spock in his grief will make some pretty questionable decisions that will ultimately cause his demise as well as the Federation. She has to go back.”

Picard sighed and rubbed his head with both of his hands. He stared at Guinan and then asked for Ambassador Spock and Commander Stuart to report to the conference room along with all senior staff and Guinan. 

oooOooo

They were laying together in the afterglow of intense lovemaking. Maggie was awake and took a moment to look at her aged Vulcan. Honestly, except for the lines in his forehead, the gray hair and the gray patch on his chest, he was the same. Perhaps with age he had become very loving and wanting to experience with her in his mind everything that he loved about her. He needed to tell her how much, how deep his love is for her. She slowly traced the bridge of his nose and slid her finger downward, going around his nose and to his lips. His mouth opened and he took her finger in and licked the tip. She giggled. He turned towards her and opened his eyes. His two fingers came up and traced the jawline of her face and then slowly moved in for a kiss, which she gladly gave him. 

“I feel like I have come alive again,” he said as he touched her fingers and began to stroke her wrist. They both heard the call from the intercom asking for them to report to the conference room on the bridge. 

“Really? Don’t these people understand, we’re having a little bit of a reunion?” 

“Apparently not, K’diwa,” sighed Spock. “Ambassador Spock here, acknowledged.” He then nodded towards Maggie to have her acknowledge the intercom. She gave him a squished up look and then said “Commander Stuart,...acknowledged.” Just then the door chime sounded and Spock got up, put his robe on and answered the door. 

“Good Morning, Counselor. How may I assist you?”

“Actually,...Ambassador I’m here to help your wife with a uniform. Is she available?” Spock had a half-smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye, then put his Vulcan mask on. “I am sure she will be grateful for your assistance. The trouble with traveling light as she did is that there’s no luggage. She is from a period of history where we did not have clothing replicators.” Maggie was listening to the conversation and looked around for something to throw on. She couldn’t very well put her gown on,....but she could put on what Spock wore last night, his tunic underneath his Ambassadorial robes. So she got out of bed and did just that. It fell to mid thigh and Maggie decided she looked okay for around here. She came out and faced the counselor, who immediately stifled a giggle. Spock eyed her and his eyes immediately darkened with desire. Maggie saw this and through their bond said save it for later, to which he answered he would try. Meanwhile Counselor Troi, being an empath was feeling all that was being sent back and forth between the couple and was trying very hard not to laugh out loud. The Ambassador excused himself and left for the bathroom and the sonic shower. 

“I was not aware that Vulcans were that,....umm,” paused the Counselor. 

“Amorous?” offered Maggie. “I forgot you’re an empath, so you’re getting our feelings and images. He didn’t offer up anything,...risque,...did he?” The Counselor shook her head no and proceeded to guide Maggie to an appropriate uniform. 

“I’ll be honest, I don’t really feel comfortable in a uniform here from my time, nor would it be a good thing to come in a current issue Starfleet uniform. Perhaps we could try for something that is in between.” asked Maggie. The counselor thought for a moment,...”I know exactly what we need.” She brought up a picture of a uniform, but was like a dress, sort of like something she would wear when seeing patients. 

“We could do this and in colors of pale orange, gray, dark browns and reds, to symbolize Vulcan. And of course matching shoes.” Maggie looked at it and said “That’s perfect.” She then punched in her measurements and a perfect outfit materialized in the clothing replicator along with shoes. She took her new outfit and then went into the bedroom and shooed Spock out. She put it on and saw it was a perfect fit. She could move and yet the outfit hugged her curves. She walked out and modeled for the two.

“What do you think, my husband?” 

“I think you need this,” he came up and put her comm badge on, barely touching her skin. She shivered a little bit and Spock with his usual stoic appearance just raised an eyebrow.

“A comm badge. Where’s yours?”

“I do not wear one, I am an Ambassador, although I keep one hidden and use when necessary. You however are still in Starfleet.” 

“You look very, very nice, Commander Stuart,” smiled Counselor Troi.

“Please Counselor, call me Maggie when in private. Quite frankly, I detest the whole rank thing. I always preferred Dr. Stuart rather than Commander.”

“Call me Deanna as well.” They both smiled. 

“I think we need to go to the Conference Room. The Captain is not a man who likes to be kept waiting,” said Spock as he opened the door to the corridor. Spock led the way as Counselor Troi fell back with Maggie as they made their way to the conference room.


	36. Chapter 36

When the couple and Counselor Troi came to the conference table, the staff couldn’t help but notice the glow that emanated from the Ambassador, who normally had a dour if not grouchy look upon his face. Seventy five years without his mate was more torment than one could possibly bear and even though he knew she had to go back, that the repercussions of Marguerite staying would be unfathomable. The facts that she is here and pregnant with a child who is supposed to be a grown man by this time does not coincide with the timeline as Guinan knows it. But what if this is what is supposed to happen? What if this is the correct timeline? Guinan assures the Ambassador and the Captain that it isn’t. Commander Riker argued that he was not willing to send anyone back through a vortex, time hole or whatever if it meant she might die in the process. Guinan retorted that you don’t have a choice. All the while the debates and arguments are raging, Maggie is sitting there next to her Vulcan, weighing everything she is hearing and she’s not liking where anything is going. Finally, Counselor Troi spoke up.

“I think the one person you need to talk to and haven’t asked for her opinion is Commander Stuart. It’s her life and the life of her child’s and ultimately the life of a family. You haven’t asked her.” Picard turned his eyes towards Maggie who was still in deep thought, her fingers steepled. She looked up and saw all eyes on her and she gave a big sigh. 

“If I were alone in this,...I would stay. Catch up on techniques and technology. This is a wonderful time to be in, I would think. But I’m not alone, I have a child to consider and a husband who because he was denied my company for 75 years, is hoping against hope that I will stay, on my own volition, or at least he could persuade me. My husband,...I love you, but it is because of that love that I must return.” Spock lowered his head, inhaled and exhaled slowly and then cocked his head and with a half-smile nodded in the affirmative. 

“You were always good at getting your way, T’hy’la.” 

Maggie chuckled and whispered to Spock, “You haven’t even seen what I’m capable of my darlin’.” Her eyes twinkled with merriment, which didn’t go unnoticed to the rest that were at the table. She then turned her attention back to the Captain and leaned on the table sitting down.

“Captain, let’s put aside the argument about not knowing how to get me back, there are two options; 1)We’re not that far from earth, we could take a trip around the sun at top speed and slingshot out of the gravitational pull and time travel. My Enterprise did it, as a matter of fact, you have the former Science Officer who made the necessary calculations,....in his head,...after he came back to life. So don’t tell me there are no possibilities of this happening. 2) We should use this as a last ditch effort if the anomaly turns out to be a wormhole or something worse. But I don’t think so. My gut tells me that and if I wasn’t otherwise preoccupied with being with my husband, I would take a look at the data gathered and give you an idea if that is indeed the same coordinates as the 23rd century. We were both on second shift when Spock took the first measurements.” She looked around at their faces and then added:  
“That’s right, Captain. I’m not just a pretty face who digs in the mud and comes up with pretty impressive artifacts,...I’m a bridge officer.” 

Maggie began to rub her stomach as if in some pain, put up her hand to Spock saying it was nothing, but Dr. Crusher seeing her wince a little, pulled out her tricorder and took readings. 

“I think you had better calm down and take a walk with me to Sickbay,” she said softly, “or your arguments may become moot.” Maggie became calm and nodded her head towards the Doctor. But she had one more thing to say.

“Well, I’ve given you albeit more my temper than opinion, of what I think. I need to go back, I need to go back as soon as possible. I’ve given you two options. Pick one,.....Sir” 

The staff of the Enterprise had seen the Captain dressed down before by aliens, ambassadors, even Luxwanna Troi. But dressed down by an active Commander, wife of the Vulcan Ambassador, who has the calm demeanor of an Admiral with great strategical advantage,...not in this lifetime, yet there it is. Maggie got up and said through her bond she was going to Sickbay with the Doctor and not to worry. He nodded and as they all began to get up and leave, the Captain came up to Spock. 

“She’s quite formidable when she wants to be isn’t she,” commented Picard. Spock turned to the Captain and said with his half-smile.

“Captain,...I watched her outmaneuver the Admiralty on earth, out captain Captain Kirk, out doctor Doctor McCoy; I have watched her with the help of her two trusted aides, organize, rehearse, perform with and conduct a symphony orchestra made up of crew members and officers of the Enterprise. I have heard her sing a particular operatic song that was so much of her personality, it brought tears to this Vulcan’s eyes. She is the remarkable woman I had the good fortune of meeting and falling in love with, yes love. Formidable? No, Captain I would say she is the most intelligent woman I have ever met and I will do anything I can to get her back to her home. Now, let me look at the data that has been gathered and see if this is indeed the same anomaly. If it is,...then I have a theory I would like to propose to Lieutenant Commander Data.

“Make it so, Ambassador. Data, please show the Ambassador the necessary data acquired from that anomaly.”

oooOooo

Spock was dreaming. In normal times, Vulcans rarely dream,...but these were not ordinary times. His wife of only one month had been cruelly taken from him and although he felt no dissolving of their mental bond, he still didn’t know if she was alive or dead, or if she was alive, if their child was still there in her womb. But he was dreaming. He was on earth, up in the mountains of the Northeast, where it was springtime. No longer in a Starfleet uniform, he walked amongst the trees, holding the hand of a little boy who was curious about everything. He let go of the little one’s hand as he cried to run towards the woman coming towards him. Her hair was long and gray, and blew when the breeze kicked up. She was dressed in a long summer dress and stooped down to catch the little boy and proceeded to kiss him all over his face, to which he touched her face and she said to him, “Ohhh? It’s not logical to kiss you all over? My darling child,...I am your mother and I will kiss you as long as I have breath in these lungs.” She looked sternly into his eyes and then both started to laugh and the little boy hugged her. Spock walked up to the mother and child, taking the small child from her, he lovingly placed a kiss on her lips, to which she said to him; “I will find you Spock,...I will be back,....I love you,...” 

He woke up. It was times like this he didn’t want to wake up, but to live in the landscape his dreaming mind had created. Instinctively, he reached for the woman who was not there and his heart ached because of the loss. But he didn’t wish to dwell on that. He wanted to find her or at least provide a way for her to come back. His life, he felt at this moment was meaningless, where before it felt so satisfactory and full. //STOP!// He kept saying to himself, //feeling self pity is not worthy of Marguerite and not worthy of any Vulcan. Concentrate. You must find a way for her.// He thought of the bonding vows they both said when they chose to take each other. He closed his eyes and repeated, //Parted from me, yet never parted//. He tried to reach out to Marguerite through time and space, concentrating with all his mental strength,...and for a moment, there was a bright light, an awareness of her,....and then it was gone. 

Maggie sat in Sickbay with an astonished expression on her face. Dr. Crusher raced over to her biobed and asked what was wrong as she began to take readings.

“I don’t know,...for a moment,...I felt his presence in my mind. Spock, I mean.”

“Well, of course, he’s on the ship,” said the Doctor.

“No, Doctor, not the Ambassador, although I am sure he felt it as well,...it’s gone now.” Maggie decided to keep her contact with the Spock she left behind to a later date. //Perhaps there is a way to get back home,// she thought. 

After being checked out by the doctor, Maggie wandered the ship and found her way to 10 forward. As she walked in, she noticed many crew members relaxing, enjoying a meal with their friends or off duty, on a date or just star gazing. The bar was not too crowded so she grabbed a seat and ordered herself some Altaren water. Guinan was behind the bar doing her bartending when she noticed Maggie there enjoying the view of the people. She decided to engage Maggie in conversation.

“That was quite a dressing down you gave the Captain,” said Guinan as she introduced herself.

“It wasn’t meant to be, Guinan.” Maggie paused while she sipped her water. “I just find it so odd to have a board of directors meeting to discuss a decision that to me, is very simple. I provided two options to boot. I have to go back, if not for me or for the Ambassador, for this child that I’m carrying that should be a grown man about now. What he may have accomplished in the 75 year time frame could be wonderful or disastrous. Either way, it has to happen. I also can’t neglect the fact that I may not be alive in this time either, but what little time I can give Spock I can make his life extremely satisfying and not have things that have happened in my absence become fact. I don’t know if Spock has thought of that yet,...or if he has,...he’s not saying.” 

Maggie continued to look around, momentarily missing her friend Leonard and wishing the good Doctor was here. She spied in a corner what looked to be a drumset, a guitar, and a grand piano, sitting open,...waiting for someone to play. 

“Say Guinan, that’s a grand piano isn’t it? Is it tuned and ready to play?”  
“Oh yes, Commander.” 

“Please,...call me Maggie.”

“Ok Maggie. The piano is ready to go, but don’t be surprised if people join in and play with ya. I keep a trio setup there for anyone who wants to jam.” 

“Hope nobody says anything about the Ambassador’s wife wantin’ to play a gig.” Maggie winked at Guinan, who immediately took a great liking to this woman. 

Maggie walked up to the piano, sat down, took a look at the keyboard and ran up and down it a quick exercise to get a feel of the instrument. Then she started to play,...not just anything, she started out with the “Minute Waltz” by Chopin. That was to get people’s attention and to let them know they didn’t have an amateur at the helm. They were indeed listening as she broke into romantic jazz repertoire of the 20th century, or as she liked to call them her standards for bar gigs. Soon a drummer came up and sat down and kept rhythm, followed by a guy on guitar. She had a trio, but really could use a quartet, a solo instrument. She leaned over and asked the guitarist who in this room can play. The crewman smiled and immediately pointed out Commander William Riker who, had come in with Deanna Troi and Doctor Crusher to have a bite to eat and were being treated to live music. Maggie then asked the crewman for a microphone set up for herself and for any soloist wanting to come up to sing. The crewman put his guitar down and caught the eye of another who promptly got the necessary equipment from Guinan and set it up for her. She blew into the mike and said “hello,” she turned to playing an old standard of Satin Doll with a little uptempo. As she was playing and singing, she spotted the Commander and she gave him a “come hither” look, to which he to Deanna, “Ok, I’ll bite.” He sauntered up while Maggie commanded the computer to replicate a trombone for Commander William Riker. She was getting very used to the replicating system on board and thought it was a great achievement and wished it was back in her own time. Riker saw the trombone and looked at the other musicians who were regular players with Will. 

“What would you like to play ma’am?,” asked the Commander being very polite as this is the wife of a diplomat. 

She looked at him and laughed. “First, call me Maggie, I work for a living just like you do.” She looked deeply into his crystal blue eyes and thought a person could get lost in them and then was reminded of her dear friend Leonard McCoy with his sea blue eyes. “You know Commander, your eyes remind me of my dearest friend Dr. Leonard McCoy. I miss him terribly and hope your crew can get me safely home. But until then,...let’s play “The Nearness of You.” Trombone solo.”

“As you wish, Ma,...Maggie,” said Riker correcting himself. And so they played that tune and many others as the Enterprise made their way closer to the anomaly on their way to Starbase 24. In the back corner, sitting with Guinan was the Ambassador and Captain Picard. 

“I had no idea your wife is this talented, Ambassador,” said Picard. “She certainly has a way with the crew getting them up to play.”

Spock looked at the Captain and raised an eyebrow. “It runs in her family. Her father was McKenzie Stuart, the concert pianist. Music is her way of crying out to the universe, to pray if you will. She enjoys it immensely, but,...she wants to go home. I can hear it in her playing. I will not stop her from achieving her goal, Captain.”

The Captain once again looked over at Maggie having a great time entertaining the troops as it were. He apologized to Spock for doubting her story and will make every effort to get her home. The comm sounded and it was Data asking for Captain Picard to the bridge. 

“Acknowledged.” He got up and happen to look out the vantage point of space in the lounge and saw the anomaly that had grown in size and apparently strength. Maggie saw it too and stopped playing. 

“Merde,...” said Maggie as she looked at it and then at the Captain and then Spock. “All senior staff to the bridge,...you too Ambassador and your wife.

“As you wish, Captain. Marguerite,....attend.”


	37. Chapter 37

As they made their way to the bridge, Maggie put her hand into Ambassador Spock’s and squeezed it slightly. He looked down and into the eyes of his wife and opened the bond with a question to her.

//Are you having second thoughts, K’diwa? Do you wish to stay here?// Maggie noticed he purposely did not say “with me,” in the question.

She answered //Beloved,...it’s not a question of having second thoughts,....I have to go back, no matter what I may or you may feel about the situation. Besides,...//she thought hoping to get Spock to not worry so, //I have to go back so that you won’t be such a crabby Ambassador, who is still mourning the loss of his wife. Even in this time period that we are attempting to correct, I may not be here, having passed on. At least you will have memories of me and of our time together and our son, who will take care and look after his father.//

Spock looked at her and in front of those in the lift, took her hand and kissed the inside of her palm, which sent her emotions on a roller coaster ride down the first drop. Then offered her two fingers which she accepted. 

Opening to the bridge, the lift quickly emptied out. Maggie could not get used to a Klingon security officer, but she thought he was an excellent choice. Seeing him on the bridge gave her great comfort. At last, someone had come to their senses and stopped the warring. She had hopes for her future. But there in front of them as they stared at the front viewer was the anomaly, which Spock confirmed with Data that it was indeed the same anomaly. The question was,...if they sent something into it, would it go to the 23rd Century and where Maggie needed to get to. 

“What if we send a probe into it and it transmits back its data,” she asked. 

“There is no guarantee that it will transmit data back,” answered Data. Maggie turned to the Captain.

“It’s just a probe, Captain not a manned shuttlecraft,” she said impatiently. 

“Very well, Data launch a class-1 probe into the anomaly.” “Aye Captain.” The probe was launched.   
After a few minutes,...”As I suspected Captain, the probe was lost in the anomaly.” The Captain was not paying attention to Data as he was watching Maggie who suddenly gasped and stood rigid staring out at the screen. Counselor Troi also felt the presence in her mind as well as the Ambassador. 

“It’s him! It’s Spock!. Not this one, that one.” She pointed quickly from the Ambassador to the view screen. 

“I don’t know nor do I understand time and space, but it is your Spock. I have no other explanation, Captain.” said the Counselor

“Captain, we are being pulled into the anomaly.”

“HELM! Reverse engines,” commanded the Captain. 

“It’s too late Captain, we’re being pulled in.” The Enterprise D slowly entered the anomaly and came out again only this time,...they were in a different time, the 23rd century. As the viewscreen cleared, they almost came within ramming another star ship. 

“Captain, the registry numbers,...NCC 1701-A.”

“Good Lord….,”said Maggie. “What just happened?” She looked at Spock who had his eyes closed. She realized he wasn’t responding to the bond or anything at that point. Finally, Spock opened his eyes, and looked at his beloved wife. “I closed the bond so that you could be open to me in the past calling for you. He’s been searching for you for some time.” Maggie saw the sacrifice he made for her in his eyes and as she was going to say something to him, he said to the Captain that he will return to his cabin for the time being. That should he need his assistance, he could be reached there. Ambassador Spock turned to go, but Maggie grabbed him and looked into his eyes which were now tearing up. She whispered thank you to him and then in Vulcan, “I cherish thee.” He said, “and I you. Go to him. Make beautiful memories, for I know as soon as you go and we go back, everything will change.” Before she could say anything more to Spock he left the bridge. She turned to Counselor Troi who could feel his pain and sacrifice. She asked her to please look after him.

“He’s really not a bad cranky guy, it’s just,...he said to me when we bonded that I was the other half of his katra and he the other half of my soul. I believe that. And even though he’s not losing me, he is in a sense losing me, because we don’t know if I am alive in the 24th. You’ll have to go back and find out.” The counselor gave her word she would look after the Ambassador. 

“Captain, we’re being hailed.” Picard sighed and then said “On screen.” There in front of them on the viewer was the bridge of the Enterprise-A with Captain Kirk in its command chair. Spock was to his right, Dr. McCoy, and the rest of the bridge crew. 

“This is Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. To whom have I the pleasure of addressing?”  
Maggie thought to herself, //gheese, he’s getting fancy.//

“I’m Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the Starship Enterprise-D. I believe we have someone who would like to address you.” He motioned for Maggie to come forward.

“Captain Kirk,...permission to come back aboard, sir.” 

“Permission granted.” He looked her up and down and remarked, “Nice duds.” 

“I’ve a very good tailor, Sir.” 

“Captain Picard, while we are here in this time frame, we could take advantage and you could have a look at the Enterprise-A.” Data was always curious. “I would also recommend we shuttlecraft over to the ship as the transporters have gone off-line for some reason.”

“No tours, as I am anxious to get back to our own time, but,...Dr. Crusher would you accompany me. I will escort Commander Stuart back to her home ship. See you in a few minutes, Captain.” The screen went off. Maggie followed the Captain and Dr. Crusher into the lift and from there to the shuttlebay. They got into the shuttlecraft and the Captain after the doors opened, cleared the shuttlebay and made their way over to the smaller starship. 

“I’m beginning to realize just how big our Galaxy class is,” said Dr. Crusher.

“Indeed, Doctor. This is shuttlecraft Galileo requesting entry into your shuttlebay.”

“Shuttlecraft Galileo, you may proceed and welcome aboard and welcome back, Lassie.”

The Captain nodded for Maggie to acknowledge the speaker. “Thanks, Scotty. Missed ya.”

“Aye Lass, I know. Your runway is clear for landing.” The Galileo pulled into the bay of the Enterprise-A and settled down softly. After letting everything power down, the Captain opened the shuttlecraft door. There waiting patiently with his hands behind his back, standing ramrod straight was Captain Spock. Picard, Dr. Crusher and Maggie got out and walked over to Spock where he became very formal. 

“Welcome aboard Capt. Picard. I am Captain Spock, first officer of the Enterprise. If you will follow me I will take you to the Captain.”

“Thank you. This is my ship’s doctor Beverly Crusher. She has been taking care of Commander Stuart while she was on board.” Spock nodded his head respectfully to the Doctor. Out of the corner of Maggie’s eye was movement and she saw someone stride purposely up to her cursing up a storm. Maggie rolled her eyes,...especially when she heard “I don’t give a rat’s ass what Spock wants. I’m the goddamned CMO and I’m gonna check her out! Maggie! Where are you!”

“Here Leonard.” McCoy didn’t take readings, he just threw his arms around her and hugged her. Dr. Crusher couldn’t help but notice the doctor’s eyes welling up with tears and managed to find someplace else to look while he tried to get himself back in control. 

“You gotta stop takin’ these side trips,” he said while he got his tricorder out. He took readings and then said, “What the hell,...” Upon hearing that, Dr. Crusher did the same thing and apparently came up with the same readings. They compared them. 

“That’s not possible,” Crusher said to McCoy. 

“Neither is time travel, but here we are. We gotta take you to Sickbay. We’ll catch up with you Spock.”

“But my wife,...”

“I’ll be alright, Spock. You’ll see.” She smiled that special smile of hers and he sighed and asked the Captain to follow him. The two doctors and Maggie made a beeline to Sickbay, but before Maggie went in, she asked McCoy. “Where is she?”

“Calm down, Christine isn’t on the ship. We sent her at her request and that Romulan who programmed her to our latest addition to the Federation, Betazed. It seems this type of thing they excel at. A peaceful race, telepathic and have a huge amount of compassion. Somewhat of a matriarchy, but they said they would take good care of Christine. You saw her at her worst, she really is a great gal, just after it went wrong with Spock, she just couldn’t get past it. That bastard Wainwright found that out and exploited it. And yes, Wainwright is on his way to prison. He’ll have his day in court and we’re all gonna be there. But we have to talk about something else. Here sit on the biobed and let me run some tests. Doctor? Would you like to assist?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t miss this for the world, Dr. McCoy.” He ran his tests and consulted with Dr. Crusher and she in turn reran the tests, laughing to herself because they didn’t use them anymore, but she always kept the tests on hand just in case. 

“Maggie, did you have sex when you were on their ship?” 

“Doctor!” she exclaimed. Spock was on board the Enterprise also. He’s the Vulcan Ambassador in the 24th. He hadn’t seen me in 75 years and well,... I missed him,...and well,...you know what happens,...”

“Yeah, Welcome home sex,...Big Time!”

“All night long,” Maggie said with a smile and a wink. “But why are asking me?”

“Because you’ve got another bun in the oven,” said Crusher much to Maggie’s surprise and McCoy’s who looked at the pretty red-haired doctor and said “couldn’t have said it better myself.” 

“What could you not have said, Doctor?” Spock managed to get away from the two Captains chatting about the Enterprise and made his way to Sickbay. Maggie grabbed his hands and began a conversation with him through their bond about what happened. At one point, Spock turned a shade of green blush as Maggie explained their night of passion in detail and how much she wished we had a tub. After she was done, Spock was somewhat in a state of shock. 

“We have two babies, a boy and a girl?” 

“It seems so t’hy’la.” 

“I always knew you were unique,” said Spock as he offered two fingers, which she took. He opened the bond more so that Maggie could feel his love for her and how grateful he was she was finally home. She started to cry and just said “me too.” 

“Spock, we need to get married. I mean we are a bonded Vulcan couple and married under Vulcan law, but we aren’t according to Federation rules and regulations of inter-species cohabitation.”

“Indeed, and I have the solution, since we have two Captains aboard and since we have two children one conceived here and one apparently conceived in the 24th. I have already approached both Captains and they are willing to marry us. Your parents and mine are waiting to see you. T’relek is on his way to Vulcan to talk with the Vulcan High Council to get his citizenship returned to him. We just need to tie up this loose end.” 

“I wish Counselor Troi was here. Of both of you, I was a little closer to her because of the telepathy.” Beverly thought a minute. Then said, “Can you pipe the ceremony ship to ship?” 

“Affirmative,” said Spock. Beverly touched her comm badge. “Crusher to Troi. Can you hear me?”

“Yes, I can Beverly.” Quickly she explained to the Counselor what was happening and then asked if she would be Maggie’s witness to which she said absolutely. McCoy got a hold of Scotty who said he’d be happy to transport someone over, got the coordinates and transported the Counselor to Sickbay and then transported Dr. Crusher back to the Enterprise D. Scotty loved going behind the Captain’s back, but then there wasn’t too many things that the Captain didn’t know about. Spock made the Captain aware of what was happening and quickly made arrangements for the crew to be either watching on viewer, which would be piped to the other Enterprise and whoever could be in the concert hall in one hour. 

Since there are two Captains, they split the ceremony in half. Sarek did all the necessary paperwork for a marriage license to be sent to Federation Headquarters to satisfy their requirements. McCoy served as Spock’s witness, and Maggie’s father walked her down the aisle to a 4 piece quartet playing “Water Music” by Handel. The ceremony was meaningful and brief. Troi cried as she always did when feeling the emotions of those in the small party. Both Captains said “We now pronounce you man and wife. Continue to kiss the bride, Captain Spock,” which he did by offering two fingers and she reciprocating. 

“And now Captain Kirk, we must leave. I’ve just been told the anomaly is closing and no offense but, I want to stay in my own time. Bon Chance, mon ami.” He shook everyone’s hands. He and the counselor left for the shuttlebay, got into the shuttlecraft and made it safely back to the Enterprise D. Enterprise A backed away as the Galaxy class starship turned around and went into the anomaly. They were gone as the anomaly faded into nothing. 

oooOooo

They lay in their bed in their quarters, just holding each other, not letting either one go without a kiss or a caress. It had been a trying time for them both. 

“You know, I don’t feel any different,” said Maggie. “It’s just a ceremony.” She rolled herself on top of Spock who gave her one of his half smiles. She began nuzzling Spock’s neck and he inhaled deeply her scent and just let her do what she wanted with him. He closed his eyes and opened the bond completely so that they could feel what each other was feeling and talk with each other. She sighed and began to kiss the tips of his ears. A low mumble emanated from Spock, almost like a purr, he was so content.

//Purring?// He smiled. 

//I am most satisfied with you, Aduna.// He wrapped his arms around her and then rolled her over so that he was on top. He sat up, straddling her his erection growing as was his desire for her. She watched his eyes go from sable brown to almost black; she would never get tired of watching his eyes change. 

“I have something for you, I procured it while you were gone.”

“Oh?” Maggie had her curiosity piqued. He pulled from the nightstand drawer a small ring box and placed it on her chest. 

“Nice wrapping paper,” she said with a sly grin. 

He cocked his head and an eyebrow went up. “Open it.”

She did as she was told and to her surprise were two rings, one for her and one for him. They were plain in design, but on the inside of each ring was the Vulcan phrase “Taluhk nash-veh k'dular.” He took her ring and placed it on her ring finger. It glowed brilliantly in the soft light of the bedroom. 

“It’s beautiful, Spock. Thank you for all your gifts. May I,....?” He nodded yes. She took his ring and put it on his ring finger and kissed it. 

“Nemaiyo t'nash-veh vath ulef t' t'nash-veh khaf-spol.” (Thank you, the other half of my heart.”) He got off of her and laid on his side while kissing her lips and pulling her closer to him. He had everything he wanted in his life. A satisfying career that was coming to a close, a wife, a family, and great friends. He could not think of anything else he wanted in his life,....except maybe that their children were born healthy and that his wife would remain with him for as long as her lifespan would allow. Life was good.


	38. Epilogue # 1

Epilogue #1

Back on the Enterprise D, Counselor Troi strode towards the Ambassador’s quarters like a woman on a mission. At first she thought she could sense great loss coming from the Ambassador, but then she found resignation and a more centered psyche. She decided to visit with him. She rang his door chime and heard a very strong command of “Enter!” 

“I thought I would come by and see how you are, Ambassador.” Spock smiled a half smile. He looked over the Counselor and thought to himself perhaps in another timeline,....he brushed that thought out of his mind, knowing full well she could read his thoughts.  
“Surprised that an older man as myself could still have thoughts of desire, Counselor?” She answered him very carefully.

“Ambassador, nothing surprises me anymore and no, not at all. To quote a 20th century earth baseball player, Yogi Berra, ‘It ain’t over until it’s over.’ 

Spock with another half smile said, “A wise man. Are we near Starbase 24?”

“Yes, and that is something else I wish to tell you. Your wife and family are there waiting to come aboard and continue with you to Babel.”

“Ahh, they made it to the Starbase. Excellent. It will be good to see my wife again and children. Walk with me Counselor,” said Spock as they left the confines of his quarters. 

They walked to 10 forward to see Starbase 24 looming large in the horizon. He nodded to Guinan who nodded back. Guinan thought to herself this is how this timeline is supposed to be not the other way around. She must thank Picard the next time he’s in the bar for his generosity for letting things to back to what they are supposed to be. The entryway of 10 forward became filled with two starfleet officers a man and woman. He was a tall Vulcan who oddly looked a lot like Spock when he was young and the girl who had curly long brown hair she kept in a regulation ponytail. Behind them was an older woman who still had some bounce in her step. She was dressed in a typical Vulcan Ambassadorial gown with head shawl. She lowered it and immediately saw Spock and smiled her special smile. 

//I told you my sweet Adun. Wherever you are I will find you and I will always be with you. Always.//

Spock got up and ushered his family to the table, introducing them to Counselor Troi. She looked at Maggie and remarked how well she looks. She said there is a new treatment that will help me to stay a little bit longer, as it helps the arthritis immensely. But she really attributed her staying power to that silly Vulcan gene they found in her a long time ago and that she passed it on to her daughter and son, compounded with their father’s genes. Guinan looked at the happy family and turned to polish some glassware behind the counter. 

//All’s well that ends well she thought,...//


	39. Epilogue # 2

Epilogue # 2 Three years later

It was springtime on earth in the northeast. There was still snow-covered mountains looking towards New Canada, but right here in the Adirondacks on T’relek’s home, the valleys and meadows were a riot of spring flowers, deer with their fawns were out grazing and a tall Vulcan walked out of the forest holding the hand of his young son Silek, who as all young children do asked a myriad of questions,...telepathically. Finally, Spock picked his son up and threw him into the air, much as his father did to him years ago, which got squeals of delight from Silek. He caught him and then put him down as he was watching the woman in a long lightweight sleeveless dress come walking up to him with a little toddler girl by her side, who broke free at the sight of her “Daddy.” Spock would never get tired of watching his beautiful Marguerite as she pinned her now curly long hair, which she was told was a side effect of having been pregnant up and out of the way. 

“T’anna, be careful as you walk, child,” Maggie said as she watched her run to her father. Coming up to Spock she asked 

“Did you enjoy your walk in the woods?”

“Silek has many questions,” he said as he picked up his daughter and held her while T’anna gave her mother a dandelion. 

“Of course, he’s Vulcan and he’s a curious little boy.” 

They walked back to the house, seeing and hearing conversations going on. T’relek the great grandfather was sitting on the porch in his rocking chair chatting with Sarek and Amanda, who looked out to see Spock and Marguerite coming with their children. Once the kids saw their off world grandparents the screamed “Grandpa and Grandma are here!” They came running up to greet them and being the Vulcan child that he is, Silek expertly did the Ta’al and said “Peace and long life to you Sa’mekh’al and Ko’mekh’il.” T’anna couldn’t quite get the Ta’al yet, but was working on it. Spock seeing that his parents had their children he whispered to Marguerite and together they ran off to another section of the meadow. A section that had tall grass and beautiful spring flowers. Spock grabbed Marguerite and took her down so that they would be invisible to the naked eye and hid there, while Spock kissed her passionately. 

“My dear Captain Spock. This behavior is most inappropriate for a bridge officer.” Maggie giggled.

“My dear Commander, you entice me with your wanton ways, I cannot help myself,” he replied nuzzling and nipping at her neck and caressing her breast. 

She sighed at the thought of making love out here in the fields, but she knew they had more guests arriving,....and soon. 

“As much as I really would like to indulge in this pastime, because I know where it will lead, we have more guests arriving. Jim and Leonard are coming with my parents as well as my sister Sarah.” Spock exhaled strongly and then got up and pulled Maggie up. They stood together and just hugged each other.   
“Taluhk nash-veh k'dular. Spock.”

“Taluhk nash-veh k’dular. Marguerite.” 

They walked back to the house and greeted everyone who arrived and was arriving for their springtime BBQ and party. For them, this was one big happy family comprised of smaller ones. They couldn’t have asked for anything better. Life was definitely good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there you have it. Maggie's story of how she met and married Spock and how she attained "Love Squared." I hope you enjoyed my tale. I have lots more to tell, so stand by.
> 
> LLAP


End file.
